


The Real Reason

by Lady_Fairy_Moth



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga), Fairy Tail, 七つの大罪 - 鈴木央 | Nanatsu no Taizai | The Seven Deadly Sins - Suzuki Nakaba (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Angst and Tragedy, Childhood Friends, Comedy, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Deal with a Devil, Demons, Developing Friendships, Devils, Devotion, F/M, Fantasy, Magical Inventing, Magical Races, Modernization of the world, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Ships As they Happen, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Statutory Rape, Teaching, Teen Pregnancy, Underage Rape/Non-con, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Fairy_Moth/pseuds/Lady_Fairy_Moth
Summary: This is a story based on greed and consumption. The selfish wish of the highest order. Of despair and hope. Weaving its way into the past the present of the world. So many mysteries such deception what's the real reason and can the worst of it be stopped?Remember, comments, kudos, and subscriptions keep most of my stories going. (Same goes for pretty much other writers, so remember to show support to the things you like. They count.)
Relationships: Asta/Noelle Silva, Jack the Ripper/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 42





	1. What Would You Sacrifice for Power?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Hello, everyone! How is everyone feeling? This story is something that came to me while I was binging black clover. I don't read the manga, so don't expect me to bring up any of those plot points. I own nothing but my plot.

It was in the wind it was in the air. It had only been a few weeks since the birth of the position of The Wizard King. The fact that the wizard was also the crowned Prince of the Clover Kingdom made everyone stand up for this new position. It was still something slightly new, but it was clear it could only be held by the strongest mage in the Kingdom. But it made something else obvious there was no one to take the place of the actual Royal family of the Clover Kingdom. With the death of both the Princess and our crowned Prince, who was first in line to take the throne. There have been arguments within the Royal parliament about who takes over.

Since the sovereign parliament felt that they need to argue against directly transferring the power to the oldest duchess, the cousin of Lumiere Silvamillion, the parliament feeling that direct relatives aren't what we need right now. Since they could all be corrupted and childish about leading as the rulers, they just had. They need fresh blood and an iron fist! A royal that was willing to do what was right for us. Not weak wills and compassion for the people, and they have shown they are vulnerable.

Many of the Noble families had been vying for that position. The extended Royal family all but demanded that they be at least asked about where their lineage wherein the line of succession. Today do they get the power overall. It had been a power struggle from the beginning, and there didn't seem any end in sight; there was not much anything anyone could do but hope that a Solution was made soon enough. Within the Noble family of Kira, they wanted the position of the Royal family; they more than earned it. They had been the ones who orchestrated the help from the otherworldly powers. I had gotten so much magical power for everyone involved; they thought that they had not only proven that he would be suitable for the Clover Kingdom, but they are of the lineage of deserving to be wearing the crown. But since they weren't of Royal blood and they weren't about to marry into the royal family since they would know that it was just because of power, his family didn't have the finances to meet that high bride price they would demand. And they were a long shot away from doing just that. It was just circling the drain, trying to figure out how we were supposed to gain the title that has so long eluded us that we had rightfully earned.

**"You want it, you need it, you earned it, didn't you?"**

I could hear a voice hissing behind me. I turn around the sound leading me.

**"That's it, come to me, Find me."**

The voice led me to the gazebo in my home; it was prominent as one of the few things that survived the demon attack several weeks ago. The fire burned homes and the space of land all around the house. But my house and property were left untouched by fire.

The voice had a smile, a shapeless black blob Sitting like it owned the place right Where we would generally host teatime for visitors and friends alike. The shadow had a silhouette of a person, but it would morph around, never keep me in shape for long. I felt myself wanting to run away, my own fear of taking hold of me...

**"Hello, their Buford Kira! I see you followed my words and found me? The right choice they're my dear; that was the right choice!"**

"Who are …what are you and what do you want with… why call me out here? At this time of day?" His voice shook his heart pounding in fear, he knew before the words left his mouth that he was devil, kin of the devil who helped rid of the elves and helped us steal their mana. The sun was setting the sky alit with the most beautiful shade of orange, making the shadow's, not the devil's smile seems to grow as the more questions he asked it.

 **"A name? Handsome, you need my name? Call me meg if you need a name so desperately."** The devil purred his words dripping them in seduction; he felt his reservations falling away his barriers and worries falling apart unconsciously.

 **"All this bickering and arguing Everyone wants power; all of them think that they should be the Royal family, but they should be the ones sitting on that throne? So, what about you, Buford?"** The word wrapping him and powering him to hang on the words of Meg, Yeah, what about him? He earned the throne!

"What about you? Weren't you the one who set up the playing field for the Royal family's position to even being questioned in the first place? If it weren't for your idea, the elves wouldn't be dead at all; you wouldn't all be so intentionally filled with power as you are now! So, you didn't make the deal; you were the one who came up with the ritual in the first place! That throne belongs to you!" The shadow gripped his shoulders softly, whispering the truth in his ears a shiver running up his spine.

**"The truth is they won't give you the crown. You're not even in the running for the crown. The Silvamillion family has made it clear that they will put one of their sons on the throne, but I have a better offer. If you're willing to make a deal with me."**

"A deal, you say." Buford felt himself warming up to this creature.

**"For the price of the throne, all you have to say is yes."**

"What do you get for putting me on the throne? I'm not foolish enough to think that there are no consequences or prices to this at all?"

 **"Consequences, dear Sir! I'm offended that you would assume I would ask for a giant price! One day far enough into the future, five hundred years or so from now? I will collect the magic of the firstborn Royal heir of your blood."** Swirling around him, the smoky shadowy had an almost seductive tone caress his chin with practically the same affection of a new lover. Buford Kira could barely speak as he lost his breath, the devil had taken his tongue.

**"That is the minimal price I want you to pay. You can live with that price; it's not like I'm asking for his life! Just the magic of your grandson or granddaughter that you will never live to see and with the items that exist right now? It's not like you can't give this child magic once more! The child never even needs to know, right?"**

"And I will become the crowned king? They won't notice I was a noble that was not next in the succession?"

**"They would assume it was an oversight or misplaced paperwork. You and your descendants will rule this Kingdom without question or upheaval. I can assure you it will barely affect you; all you have to is sign your name and shake my hand, and the power of the throne is all yours!"**

With little fanfare, he signed his name and shook the shadows formed hand the contract he didn't read in his hand. That would only be discovered by the Kira family fifty years later. When their second oldest daughter was disfigured so hideously that most couldn't look at her. The only way they had been able to marry her off was with a veil and promise of a lot of wealth and status for doing so.

The family had read over the contract, one that had been mostly regarded as just a family secret and never openly mentioned. If Buford now a great-grandfather who had his grandchildren read the fine print to him, he would know that he cursed his family, not just that one child. Severe illness weakened magic every generation; there would be something the devil would feed off the collective despair. He, the devil who made the contract would grow in magic power. Once in a generation, one or two members would be afflicted in some way shape or form, for the next five hundred years until the same prophesied oldest child of the royal family would be born. He would have known his greed had condemned them all, not just the royal heir in the future, but there is no breaking the deal once it was sealed. That's not including spots that were invisible or hidden by the devil's magic, meaning there were more clauses to the agreement than even they know about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: how's that for a first chapter, if you like it, subscribe, favorite, follow to do all the things that show support for this story! The next chapter has a giant trigger warning, but they are mentioned not shown. I don't go into graphic detail.


	2. Innocence Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> falling tears and harsh choices are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note: I own nothing but the plot of the story. I am putting a trigger warning; I’m sorry if this is unexpected. This is more for those in fanfiction.net since tagging the fic doesn’t really exist, not really. There are mentions of non-con, underage, coercion and manipulation, and teen pregnancy within this fic. I am writing about something super dark. But it’s from a place of both reason and the time and area that black clover takes place in, which made me think of this more. Like, I’m just going to say that he has proven he borders on being capable of some bs like this. He was willing to kill Asta and Yuno for being opinionated about his rule, which they should be. If it wasn’t for the position of wizard king? I’m reasonably sure that The Clover Kingdom would resemble The Diamond Kingdom's lack of morals creating a Battle Royale with its orphaned children.

_I am so stupid!_ She was a vision, though anyone could tell she was a still a wee thing, long flowing ash blonde hair that was tucked up into an intricate hairdo so no one would or could identify by her hair using the hood to cover it up. She was the only woman besides her late mother with hair like just like this. With two horizontal black stripes in her hair, her ash-blonde was one of the few people she had ever seen with naturally occurring stripes of different colors in her hair. If anyone could see her, they would remember her, and if they saw them now, she would be doomed. Dressed out of the maid uniform she always wore and into the most nondescript clothes she could find and cloak hiding both her and what she carried in her hands. She was running barely bundled correctly or dress for the winter storm that seems to be incoming in a few hours from now. The cloak was more useful for hiding her than protecting her from the elements around her.

The worst of the storm has been incoming for days, but it couldn’t be helped; she had to leave now. And the storm in front of her has been having been happening for days, but there was no time to waste, and she had no choice but to keep running or be killed if she was caught. The two bundles in her arms fast asleep. Her little angels, the only people in the world that gave her strength to move forward, her most prized possession.

She would look over her shoulder, wary and aware of how precarious her situation was but, at the same time, how easily she could be caught and killed. But knowing that she had to watch her step. He had been demanding her presence for days, and she would be caught if he had found her, especially if he were more dogged with his pursuit. It’s a miracle that he hadn’t tried to kill her for disobedience before now, but her saviors had been keeping him busy enough that he had not noticed that his summoning of her had been ignored.

She was running from the capital, her saviors the only ones who knew about the indiscretion. None of the other maids or female attendants had a clue. She took great strides to hide my pregnancy from everyone to make sure she wouldn't be the next on the headmen block. She was a child, and they felt responsible. They thought it prudent to make amends to ensure that no other thirteen-year-old girls made their way to the palace to work as she had. My saviors had made all the arrangements and chartered her escape from this land.

_What was I thinking, allowing things to happen as they did!!! I knew what I was thinking either give in or be beheaded for trumped-up Charges! I wouldn’t be the first servant girl who rebuffed King Clover’s advances._ Her thoughts as panicked, the shiver of humiliation and anger the desire for revenge still burning through her, but she tries her best to ignore that aspect.

But those who refused were publicly executed for devil worship or adulterous behavior when he’s the philanderer. His wife, the queen, was too fragile, and they said she wouldn’t last the winter with no heir to speak of. Of course, he would be of loose morals and looser convictions. She didn’t want to die, and she didn’t have the heart to announce her pregnancy; she knew the consequences. Having herself and her children killed was not something she would willing to advertise, so it was daunting to try to disguise the truth.

There were two people she could trust in the castle, and they had been her saviors during these stressful eight months, the royal physician, and the Royal Knight-Captain of the Grey Deer.

Who she had met both on more than one occasion? If it wasn’t for the royal physician, she would have already been caught and had helped her deliver her children she had named her sons, but he was the one who gave her the onesies they wore, being cast-offs from his own young children. But he had them embroidered with their names, using his magic to do so. The one thing she wanted to make sure was the names she gave them to be the least they had of me; there was only so much she could give them.

The Royal Knight-Captain of the Grey Deer and royal physician are the reason she had made it out of the imperial capital alive with her two sons in tow. That she knew without question, it's thanks to them thanking my Lucky stars that they took pity on my poor misfortunate soul. Placed in a basket wrapped as tightly with soft pillows. Making sure the babies were securing and wouldn’t wiggle about. Taking a rather sturdy broom, putting both baskets in the sidecar that was attached to the broom. Thanking the goddess for her control over her magic.

Even though she was too young to have a grimoire of her own, she knew her power was more significant than she could imagine. Flying as far away as She could, knowing that she needed a city as far away from the capital as she could find. She didn’t want them found or hurt. Any place where they would see her, know of her, and bring their gossip back to king clover personally.

If she can be found? She will be killed. Maids and lady attendants don’t leave his service. They are his playthings for as long as they are beautiful. Unless they disturb things like she just did. Falling pregnant was a guaranteed way to be killed. His words ringing in her mind as clear as day when he killed Abigail, the maid before me, he publicly executed her, as an example for the other maids and female attendants. The words he said afterward always echo in her mind.

 _“I will not stand aside and see one of my playthings bringing a bastard of mine into this world; I am nothing but perfection! A plaything could never be my queen or my bride! The only child of mine will be of noble or royal blood completely_.” The chilling feeling knowing that if he has his eye on you? You better pray to be barren otherwise? Know that the sting of death will soon be coming for you. My heart was hammering and slowly calming the future; the castle was behind me.

The flight stung her eyes, the cold air didn’t help, but she found a sleepy town in the forsaken realm. Far enough away from the capital. That no one would realize or ask questions about two abandoned children in front of a small church. It couldn't be helped if she took them with me not to where she was going... They would be no safer with me and may starve with me if where she goes, she will not be able to find work. Better a place where they are assured of healthful meals and clothes to wear, then suffer with me and die. This is their chance to at least survive to be fed and given warmth and loved. Though she wishes she could provide all of that for them, she knows in the circumstances she was in right now? Not only will they suffer with her, but she will also give them resentment of the fact they are alive and making her miserable, something she doesn’t feel. She had seen enough remorseful mothers to know that outcome all too well to be another woman doing that to her own.

She looked invisible to the enchantment the doctor put on me being put to the test right now. As she knocked on the door to catch the attention of the man inside, but it was hard to say goodbye to my sons. But she had no choice. She refuses to let them die if she is found, or worse, starve with me. If she doesn’t find work in the country, she will call home. Seeing the priest take them in, she whispers, my love for my sons, as they are taken inside the church. Picking up the broom turned from them as she flies away. Her heart cracked with every moment she was farther away from them. Knowing she had no other choice, the only piece of herself she left was a stone necklace. She gave it to the younger of the two. So, a part of her was with them. Just her presence was putting them at risk the longer she was here.

 _“Goodbye, Asta, Yuno mommy loves you.”_ The words could be heard on the breeze that chilled the breaking dawn. She fought her tears, knowing they were safe in a church in the forsaken realm then anywhere closer to the capital than they are now. She said goodbye to everyone she’d ever known to everything she’s ever cared about... Her memories bittersweet but rushing through her and taking her breath and making it hard to breathe. Still, she held the broom steady in her head even though her mind was elsewhere.

Her mind reminding her of exactly who she was leaving behind, her heart clenching so hard she didn’t, it could be more broken. Her mind reminding her of the young man in the village. The only person she trusted so Implicitly, but she never told him what was going on. For fear, he would get himself in trouble for attempting to assassinate the king for what he was doing to her. Her knight, her love … that she never confessed her feelings. The best friend, a girl, could ever ask for. That got her in trouble constantly, but he was so sweet that she forgave him every time he did so. Even after she was moved to the palace, he would visit her every day until she told him she would run away from the castle and when that day comes not to follow her, or they will think he was responsible. It took a lot of arguing and pleading to make Jack listen; he really didn’t want to stop visiting her, and the way he got upset and made it clear that he wants her to admit what was so bad, what was so wrong. Every time I denied telling him what the truth was, I could feel tears flowing from my eyes. I hated lying to him, and I hated not being able to say to him what was going on.

He only agreed to stop visiting her because she said she would eventually explain what is going, but she could only tell him when she was safe and couldn’t be found. So many words left unsaid. She never left a flower for my parents’ tombstone or paid them a goodbye.

So much she wishes wouldn’t be left unsaid, but if she wanted to see another sunrise, she needed to be quick. The Royal Knight-Captain of the Grey Deer already made accommodations feeling awful that he didn’t realize and couldn’t stop him, telling her as much when she saw him in person for what might be the final time. One spatial teleportation to the coast and ticket in my hand. The boat was heading to a country she never heard of, but any place was better than living here. With nothing to her name, she walked on to the ship. Her heart filled with regret and sorrow and wishing this wasn’t her fate, but there was nothing she could change. As she made her wave to the cabin giving in her feelings, she throws herself on the bed, the sob freefalling from her eyes as dawn finally rose in the sky.

* * *

Julius, from then on, watching her board, the boat vowed to curb the king Clover. What he had done was not only disgusting but illegal and perverted. To call him out on the action would be nigh impossible without endangering the children; she hid in the first place. All he could do was make sure to use the connections and good faith he had within the elite to curb his filthy appetite and remove him from doing anything close to this again. Allowing the castle servants a sense of being left unmolested and not prey to his desires, something he didn't realize he would have to do. But seeing a thirteen-year-old running for her life with her newborn children was enough that had been his breaking point. He felt in his heart that he had failed her; he was in the castle often enough for his accomplishments but didn’t notice his lecherous behavior or the age of staff! This failure would be the last, and curbing the corruption would end here and now.

 _“I swear to you, Andromeda Shoal, I will never let another innocent child have to face the same fate as you_ ,” he whispers the words out loud, his desperate desire to be the wizard king even more potent in his heart. To balance this country and make things fairer for everyone involved. To never see something like this ever happen again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final notes: I’m not going to lie. This was both the toughest chapter and the easiest chapter to write. Easiest because I knew exactly what the characters are supposed to be doing and why. But tough because of the subject matter, it's icky to imagine even in my mind. If you like this, regardless of the insanity, I just created, you know what to do; I shouldn’t have to tell you, lovely readers!


	3. Kangaroo Court That's All This Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cogs are turning the reality of life is shown the reasons are becoming clearer for others actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author note: finally, we were getting close to the present. The story takes a left of what happened in the court scene. Oh yeah, like FYI, I prefer and watch the dubbed version, so any differences you notice from the subbed, that's why. The world is au, but a lot of the things of the anime have happened already. Remember show your support guys! I own nothing but my plot.

It had been all be going well; I should have listened to everyone else. They had told me to be nervous and be wary and not expect the best. But I assumed that if I were honest about what happened? If I explained everything that was going on. And that everything is fine, and can we just move on to make things and repairing the city and making sure our defense is back to normal. That was before I walked into the courtroom of what I thought was supposed to be just asking my version of events.

A sea of faces, all of them looking down at Nero and me, anger and disgust whispering could be heard from the crowd. Like we were covered in manure, and they could smell It from where they stood in the balconies, dais, and rows above us. Nero was stone-faced as she always was, but I could tell just by the way they were acting in the way that we were brought here even I'm not dumb enough to believe that this is just questioning. What happened to everyone, even the King was here in full royal cape and crown in tow. Damn it, everyone was right. They tried to warn me that they would try to trick me and to not assume the best of the nobles and royals of the parliament. They acted hostile, mostly when they wanted to put the blame on someone that no one would defend or could defend. To them, without a title, you are just dirt and already guilty of whatever you are accused of.

"Order! Order in the court. We are here to pass judgment, everyone." A new person entered the court and seemed to have the room enraptured in his voice. He commanded attention more so than even King Clover, who seemed to fume at being upstaged by someone else once again. He looked at both Nero and me with some disdain, but when he focused on me? I could see he was fuming and then composed himself quickly, the Stoney mask back in his place. Still, his Ki told a different story; he was an inch away from killing me where I stood, and I had no clue why, but I do know this was the robed man from earlier his Ki, and the robed man was the same as just as off-putting.

"Now Nero, was it? How is it there being no record of you?"

"Honestly? No idea, I was a servant, a royal attendant to Prince Lumiere Silvamillion. You would probably be more straightforward if you search for me by my given name? Secre Swallowtail, I know I have birth records; The Clover Kingdom has written records of every one of its citizens for over a thousand years now." Asta turned to look at her, and she looked dead eye at the man making the accusation. I have no idea what she is going for. It felt like she might be back sassing him on purpose, but I don't think she realizes it either. I never know whats going on in her head. Not showing her emotion, but she never gave away what she was feeling, but I notice her hand was gripping the bar tightly.

"I want to be entirely fair and unbiased to the impartial nobles and royals of the parliament. So, let's look at the evidence Prince Lumiere Silvamillion died over five hundred years ago. He died under suspicion in questionable circumstances that history has decided to honor him with! And not only are we being told that that history is a fiction, just a story, and the truth is much darker than we were led to believe, at least according to the reports of all the other magic knight captains. Who were recounted the accurate record of the incident in question? The one heading assaults on said Devil that decided to rain hell on our beautiful kingdom? Was also at dissenter of our current King! You did loudly proclaim that the King was inefficient and lacking, did you not?" That caused gasping and hissing of those watching all of them all of them murmuring their angry words.

"You had the nerve to question his majesty. Over his rule and calling into question his need to exist when the wizard king could take that position. The questioning of your allegiance, so, Miss Swallowtail, Mr. Asta, I doubt many here are of the mind that neither of you is reliable or trustworthy in your accounts. This puts into question whether you are a devout citizen of this country willing to die for it if you're ready to challenge the leadership of our King how loyal can either of you be! Still, there's so much questionable about both of you, especially with the powers that are rumored about this boy." With every word, it felt like venom spat our faces. Like he had already decided to kill me here and now, but I didn't know why.

With every word he said with everything he claimed, I wanted to speak up, but Nero was telling me with her actions to hold my tongue. But with every accusation, with everything they leveled against us, I felt myself getting angry and annoyed that it felt like we already lost. Before we even showed up here. There's also keeping in mind there's a lot we don't know, especially when this girl claims to have survived for over one hundred years, much less five hundred! The only person to have claimed to live that long it's only based on rumor, and that's The Queen of Witches. So I don't think I'm out of line when I ask this of our defendant here. He said with this air of superiority and supportive murmuring of those above us.

"But how did you survive this long?" The man kept needling for answers. I know he introduced himself, but I can barely keep it in mind. I was too angry with myself for allowing myself to get taken advantage of. Now all these nobles and royals want my head on a plate.

"My magic is how I survived, I sealed myself away until I would be needed again. The Devil that ravaged the Clover Kingdom wouldn't wreak havoc again, not on my watch." Her voice held steady, showing how much she cared about the people of the clover kingdom, causing a slight rumble of the crowd of nobles at the declaration.

"So, you admit there's a devil!" Pointing accusingly at Nero, Secre, I need to use her real name. As if to say that the Devil was still a menace and a problem.

"No, there was a devil. It's gone thanks to the royal knights all taking the initiative to fight back."

"All the royal knights, you say. Seems to me like the real Devil who created this hullabaloo is standing right in front of us. We had no problem with devil’s until this magicless boy that can wield devil powers and seems possessed by one."

"I am not! These are just powers of my grimoire; I am not possessed." I cried out, trying to defend myself from the accusation everyone scoffing and snorting at what I said.

"The truth is here. Someone has to be at blame for what happened here. So, if it wasn't you, then who was it? Since you both claim the Devil is gone. And no one could be called in to corroborate the sight of ending this Devil's life. None of the credible nobles saw it, and only commoners and a foreigner saw something according to the testimony. So, the question now stands. If you are not guilty of the mayhem and chaos, then it falls to those that were possessed and turned traitor to the kingdom, killing hundreds in their wake, destroying properties and buildings. The palace alone hasn't been completely restored since the siege." His voice gathering support and thumps all of them, agreeing that someone had to be at blame.

"Since you claimed that you are not a servant of the Devil that created this? As well as the claim that you are not at fault, we should start charging those that betrayed this kingdom!"

"Bring out the girl!"

Then guard opened the door to the chamber; two palace guards were gripping Marie's shoulder. They dragged out Marie judging her guilty of treason. Ready to kill her without much of word or hesitation, the audience were whispering louder. All of them in an Agreement that she deserves to die, it was clear that no matter what they do, it was clear they wanted to kill Asta and be done with since they have a fall guy.

Asta jumped up to protect Marie in his black Asta form, his patience with the proceedings was tested, and he had enough of them.

Like a bat out of hell, there was a giant boom, the wall on the right of Nero. Burst open and the rest of the knights of The Black Bulls came out with the hideout in giant mech again. Ready to defend Asta, all of them bring up their own evidence. Yami the first standing in front of the knights, Noelle standing a bit away. Finral and everyone standing their gauche rushing to Marie ripping her from the guards who threaten to kill her. Holding her, moving her to the rest of the knights creating a circle of protection for his little sister.

"Damnatio Kira, you would think you'd be so quick to kill without character witnesses." Yami shows his lack of care or respect for the body in front of him, taking a long drag of his cigarette. To the irritation and moans and groans and noises of disgust and annoyance at their intrusions. But Asta honesty couldn't be gladder to see them there. To see people who didn't want to see me publicly murdered to feel like that had served justice.

"How would this look. If you killed an outstanding rookie of the year? As well as the fact that everyone saw him protecting the citizens and doing to prevent things from getting a lot worse." Yami proclaimed out loud to the arguing nobles, who silenced when they realized that citizens would know something was wrong and would demand answers.

That had been at this point that the Captains? Who seemed to appear from nowhere, the ones who weren't being healed or watching prisoners, jumped into to support Yami's claim and to leave this decision to them. That they will decide his punishment. Since he was their responsibility. They would settle the devil issues and make sure they never trouble the Clover Kingdom again. Asta was stunned at the care and trust that had to protect him from the worse of it.

They walked out of there with that condition that if they could find a devil to kill or more information on them to satisfy the court that he wasn't possessed by a devil himself. Otherwise, Asta's freedom or date with the headsman block was dependent on that.

Walking out of the room, everyone's minds were whirling with the fact that not only was the Royal Parliament, the Clover Kingdom, willing to throw a hero under the bus but willing to do it so quickly and would use the dirtiest of tactics to do so. They were willing to threaten a ten-year-old to get compliance; it gave everyone, even those of noble or royal birth, a shiver up their spine. Realizing something Gauche already had when he went to prison for stealing food for Marie when he was barely fourteen years old. you can only really put your faith in your family or the family you created for yourself. Because when the chips are down? When they want someone to blame, and they know they won't take the blame for it even if they're at fault? Those with enough power to have their plan executed. Will throw anyone in front to be the scapegoat to be seen as resolving the problem, regardless of your rank or creed or elite influence or money. If all the chips are down and they have to take responsibility, they would rather make it look like it's you; they don't care. You don't matter enough to be safe to defend it or listen to. Not if those elites can benefit from bringing you down. It was sobering but also depressing.

It was the fact that was in the minds of everyone with Yami thinking about he we would clear his junior knight from the charges. Where would they even look to find out about devils? That's going to be a question for later. Right now, we need to take our members' home.

So many others were already planning to ask around look through what the know od curses and the castle's archive through more secrets might bring someone here to this courtroom for something just as frivolous and life-endangering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final Note from here on out? The story is going to do what I want. Giggling evilly, oh the fun I will have! The story strictly from here on out takes place in an au. This is a world where the world of Fairy Tail, and seven deadly sins exist on the same planet. And those characters pop up, but they aren't main characters, not really. But their assistance is key to the main characters. Hopefully, no one decides to get uppity and take my fic to the wannabe fanfiction police. If this fic gets deleted, I got an AO3 account with the same name.


	4. A Confession, A Team-Up of A Grand Scale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter. Longer than the others by quite a bit but it's one of my favorite at the same time. Sit tight if you're waiting for the crossover elements that are only two chapters maybe one if I put in a little more elbow grease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note I own nothing but my plot. I don’t give spoilers; just do the things that show support and that you like the story. I love reviews, and I want to learn from them. You learn nothing from or fix nothing from silence. But I don’t care for flames at my person. Don’t like, don’t read, as the adage goes. We are in the present-ish of the anime. I want to say, right where the anime stopped like right after the birthday of the sister? You know the one that raised and taught Mereoleona and Feugoleon. as always show support it helps a lot and keeps me motivated!

All morning it had been a buzz of activity. Everyone had the report from Finral to the rest of the magic knights. They knew they needed to grow stronger; the queen of The Heart Kingdom had made it clear that they had to. They needed to have a united front to fight the Spade Kingdom, invading and conquering both countries. Everyone was nearby in case of another emergency, but then you had Asta? Who would be the first meathead working out and training with his sword was sitting and writing up a letter?

“How are you doing, their Rasta?”

“I’m alright about sending a letter back home with half my paycheck. I barely had time after we got back from The Heart Kingdom to write a letter. I know I will be training hard, so I won’t have a lot of time to really send detailed messages like I usually do. I know the kids look forward to it, so its best I do that now while I at least have the time.”

“If that’s so? Who’s the second letter for?” Magna asked teasingly. Trying to sneakily see the letter. 

“Don’t worry about it!” Asta hurriedly said, trying to hide the second letter.

“I’ll see about that!” Magna snatched the letter. Asta almost jumped and fought him off but decided against it. Maybe Magna might have tips on getting sister lily to agree to marry me. She’ll have to give in sometime. Finishing up his letter to the kids and the father, including him, this time after, I realized it annoyed him that I didn’t acknowledge him. And considering he’s like a grandfather and father to him? So, I should at least acknowledge him, and he should be treated with some respect. Especially since I nearly had to watch him die less than a month and a half ago.

“Oh, Asta. Okay, once you are done? Writing your letter, we were going to discuss this letter you were going to send outside privately.”

Almost as if she had a detector for it? Noelle heard all of this and start to blush strawberry red. Secre realizes the opportunity to sit Noelle down for a long and awaited chat she wanted to have with her had finally presented herself.

“Noelle? You and I are going to have a long chat.”

“But wait, no!!”

Trust me, what those two need to talk about is not as important as what we need to talk about right now.”

Taking Noelle by the hand leading her to one of the rooms, she asked Henry for. When Yami wasn’t looking, considering she only became a member of The Black Bulls recently and having a formal meeting room? Where they can discuss tactics and plans in privacy without being overheard seemed super important. Well, that and a bedroom to her specifications. But considering he only finished it today, only I would know where the room is, and I’ll tell Captain Yami about it soon. But right now, it’s time for me to treat Noelle with kindness, considering she thought I was adorable as a bird. I snicker at how quickly she tried to dissuade me from hovering around Asta. Entering the room, there was a whiteboard, and the on the opposite wall was a map and technology I've never seen before and specifics and things I had no clue but wanted to investigate.

“What was so important you wanted had to drag me away from.”

“I know you have a crush on Asta.”

* * *

Handing the letter to the owl for the kids, and the father glad to see the message depart with it. I turned to the letter in Magna’s hand.

“What’s wrong with the letter?”

“You want me to lie to ya, or do you want the truth?”

“The Truth.”

“If I had known the woman you are in love with, was the sister who raised, you? We would have talked to you about this. you move past this a long time ago.” Magna was shaking his head, looking at Asta with almost a look of pity.

“Wait, what noa I love, Sister Lily; I want to marry her honestly, I do! “

“She’s a woman of the cloth, Asta! Do you honestly not understand what that means?” Magna said.

“She’s dedicated to her religion and faith, and stuff,” Asta said with a lack of truly knowing what the big deal was.

“Let me guess you used to fall asleep to the sermons a lot, huh?

“What does that have to do with anything?!”

“Then you would know that every sister you have ever met? Has pledged a vow of chastity and to live without temptations of sins of greed and the flesh. A sister is vowing to be faithful to one person, so in reality, Sister Lily is already married. She is married to god; all nuns are married to him.”

His brain was steaming again, but he was pushing through it to understand.

“But wait if I become the wizard king, I can change things with the church and allow nuns and priests to marry, and that would solve everything!” Asta's smile seemed to rise back on his face.

“You weren’t listening to me, huh? Even if you become the wizard king? You think you’re going to change the church? Even if you sent the law and told them to follow, it doesn’t mean they will listen. And those vows are made for life. No one, not even the wizard king, can change made vows. They are older than written history! The church changes for no one. No matter how much you love her? She already made her choice, plus she raised you! She probably sees you like a son or a kid brother! She would never leave her vows for you.” Magna saying the last thing softly, wishing he didn’t have to tell him this, but the blow is better from a friend.

The realization striking him, he was heartbroken in a way similar to how he looked when he had his arms cursed or when he was down about Yuno’s rise in magic power during the royal knight selection exam. Just devastation. It was harsh but better than wasting his energy pursuing a woman who could never be his.

“Buddy, it’s okay.” Asta, who wasn’t one to breakdown, so ultimately started to earnestly cry. Unleashing eleven years of wanting.

“Magna, do you want to… wait? Why is Asta crying?” Luck walked in and saw Asta bawling his eyes out on the couch.

“I told him something he should know by now. Wish it didn’t have to be me, though.”

“I still love her, though,” he mumbled while still crying.

“I know, buddy, but time heals this kind of stuff. But I thought you were dating that redhead from Nairn, you did sleepover at her house! I thought you were going fast, so what was all that then?”

“What do you mean by dating? I met her at a mixer with Luck and Finral about two months after I got into The Black Bulls. I just liked hanging out with her siblings; it reminds me of playing with the kids at the orphanage where I grew up. Since I promised her, I would visit.”

“So, nothing happened?!” Magna bordered on yelling.

“Uh, no? What could happen at a sleepover?” Asta looking absolutely confused, not really getting what Magna was trying to say.

“Yeah, Magna, what?” Luck himself looked just as confused as Asta.

“Yeesh, you two are pulling my leg, right?” Looking both of them, thinking they were kidding. They had to be joking; they couldn’t be this clueless, right? This is basic stuff everyone knows!

“Nope!”

“You two can’t be this clueless about romance and dating, right?”

“I grew up in an orphanage, and Hage just got a schoolhouse,” Asta said simply with a shrug and throwing his hands in the air. His eyes were still watery, and he was trying to clean his face of left-over tears he was still sniffling.

“I might have learned from my mom, but she died before she would have had that talk with me. But I ended up in an orphanage, and the school I went to refused to tell us about that kind of stuff.” Luck said with a shrug.

“Where’s Finral when you need him, considering he started this mess kind of.” Finral had been slowly edging out of the room. When he realized this was bordering on the embarrassing conversation that was going to happen, and he was being drafted in.

“I see you, Finral, and so help me if your portal out of here? I will burn your face off while you sleep.”

“I am your superior, Magna!”

“Well, you’re the idiot who dragged these two to a mixer without telling them what it is?! Take some of that superiority to help me out here!”

“Can you stop dragging this out and just tell us what we are missing here!” Asta annoyed at the secrecy.

Between Magna and Finral, they did something most guy friends wouldn’t, but seeing how Captain Yami has taken off to train somewhere? It was clearly left to the two of them. They explained to Asta and Luck everything they should know. About dating, sex, everything, and anything in between. Asta turned as red as a tomato when the conversation ended. As well as explaining the fact why Asta was upset at all. To the raised eyebrow of Finral but the nonchalance of Luck, Asta being in love with a nun is pretty much a bad idea.

“Why aren’t you shocked?” Magna said, surprised that Luck wasn’t surprised about the revelation.

“I sometimes wake up late at night, and I’ve heard Asta sleep talk, and he talks about Sister Lily a lot in his sleep.”

“So, you thought when I went over to Rebecca’s house overnight … I was doing that!” Asta's face was beet red and shocked.

“Why else would a guy stay overnight at a woman’s house? It’s not considered a proper thing to do between just friends! Staying over at someone’s house has implications; just ask Finral if you think I’m just exaggerating.” Magna looked over at Finral.

Finral, for his part, looked to the side and chuckled, making it clear that Magna’s words were spot on.

“And that time during The Star Festival! I didn’t even know what a double date was! I just got roped in, but if I had known? I would have said no. It was supposed to be a hang out with friends, no romantic strings, you know?”

Finral and Magna nodding getting what he was trying to say.

“So, you’re not attracted to Noelle?” Finral asked, ruffling his hair, slightly shocked that Asta was this innocent and naïve even after living with Vanessa for 6 months.

“Or Kahano?” Magna asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Honestly, I never thought about them like that. I like them. I never see any girl like that, even with Vanessa getting handsy, I held firm. My heart was true to sister lily. I was devoted to her, and I refuse to look at another woman that way.” Asta looked like he wants to go into another bout of sadness, but Finral listening to him made him realize that he should be doing the same to be man enough to do the same for Finesse. Since he wants to get his position as head of the family so he could marry her. That Asta naïve fruitless, and devout romantic pursuit was something he should try to emulate instead of outright dismissing Asta’s feelings. Even if it was just a first crush that refused to die. Asta’s devotion to his love remembering everything about that made his love so strong. Even if he’s finally seeing reason, there something, I can learn from this. I love Finesse, but I keep messing up. When I know I should be faithful, but I need to see that being faithful to her is more than worth it; she believed in me and still cared for me after I lost everything that is more than any other girl. It’s not just that it’s so much more; it everything that wraps me into her. I need to be a man worthy of her and to love her and solely her. I was pulled out of the thought I heard them still speaking directly to m.

“Finral, you should have explained what a mixer was to me at least before we showed up!” Luck piped up.

“If I had known, we could have talked you up, and you could have had a better shot.” Asta murmured.

“Wait, really?” Finral was shocking, not realizing that could have been an option for him.

“I love to fight, but even I know how to make someone look good or bad with the right words. It’s one of those battle tactics. I learned.” Luck his atypical smile on his face.

“Could have at least made something up if I knew what I was there for, to begin with,” Asta said with a shrug.

“You’re kidding!” Finral was shocked, mouth wide open.

“Nope, I may not really be interested in romance, but it's just another fight to find the right girl? Why wouldn’t help a friend find that woman?” Luck who wasn’t someone even looked at girls or showed any interest in anything, but a good fight showed he cared about the happiness of everyone.

“If you had told me exactly what I was I walking into? I would’ve told you no. probably would’ve told you to ask Magna.” Asta said he still sounded sad and hollow.

“Yeah, that’s a point you got their Rasta! Why didn’t you ask me, Finral?” Magna looked so annoyed and slightly angry.

“Asta is the youngest member of the black bulls, and those mixers are for single women and men. He probably stuck out as the youngest guy there! Most people at those things are in their twenties!” both Luck and Asta watching Magna get more ticked off at Finral by the second.

“Like I get not inviting Captain Yami or Gauche? He said with a tilt of the head of contemplation. They would be just a bad idea or even Gordon, he might scare the girls off, but I could do with meeting some lovely ladies!” Magna trailed off; the statement clear he wanted his answer the sooner, the better.

Finral, for his part, looked antsy. Like he hoped to never have to say this Magna, but most of them had to figure out what Finral might say before he said the words.

“Honestly? I just assumed you would scare them off with your broom; it’s a bit much.” Finral look like he wanted to run away from the conversation instead of Looking Magna in the eyes. Anyone who has been part of The Black Bulls for longer than five seconds had heard of Magna and his overly edgy broom. But no one wanted to take the time or the effort to tell him that it really was too much, Noelle tried, but he still didn’t take it to heart like he was supposed to.

“What? How can you say that about my baby!”

“Have you seen your baby?! It just seems to try hard to be edgy if you catch what I mean? Like if you could tone it down, it might work better as the chick magnet instead of the repellent it’s is now!”

Listening to them just argue, Asta started to feel a little better; his heart still hurt, but with his friend's help and time, maybe I’ll move on like Yuno kept telling me I should.

* * *

“What no, I don’t have a crush, dorksta! That’s ridiculous, Secre where would you even get an idea like that from!”

“Noelle, I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but don’t insult me by lying. You confessed to me months ago, or did you forget that? I spend a lot of time around you; both do I look blind?” Noelle had this look her face blanched as she realized not only had she done that but if anyone would or could figure it out, it would be her out of everyone else.

“Fine, you caught me! what are you telling me to back off or something?”

“Do I look like I’m interested, Asta?” Looking at her angry and cold expression she had on her face, she already knew her to answer; it was evident on her face.

“No,” Noelle said cautiously; _you never know how someone feels until they you, as the adage goes._ Noelle heard from her sister. When Nebra was rejecting a suitor? She would talk about it with the ladies in waiting that she has on staff.

“ _That if you are not clear and you leave things in the air, it leaves the possibility of never knowing the truth, whether its hope or for that guy’s despair.”_ I wasn’t supposed to hear any of it, but I was still little, and I wanted to be around my big sister and ended up getting yelled at and shooed out for it.

“That’s because I see him? Like an annoying but lovable kid brother. That’s why I dragged you in here because I knew from the minute Magna reads the second letter? That they were going to have a super uncomfortable conversation, and I didn’t want Asta to look over and see you sneaking around to listening in.”

“No, I wouldn’t! I don’t snoop around, I am royalty!” Noelle humph at the accusation. Secre couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her snotty behavior.

“You act like I don’t know you and what you’re capable of royalty or not.”

“That second letter Asta wrote is a love letter…”

“Yes, a love letter, it wouldn’t be addressed to me, right?” Noelle, for her part, lost her annoyed look on her face and looking bashful, tapping her two index fingers looking expectantly. Secre sighed, knowing she had to be the one, to be honest with her.

“Noelle, you realized I spent a lot of time around Asta, right?”

Nodding, Secre continued her eyes hardening, and she squared her shoulder and took a deep breath, knowing this was going to be somewhat harsh.

“So, I know for a fact, Asta is in love with someone, and right now, he’s getting a reality check from Magna to let that love go.”

“But why?!” Noelle nearly stamped her foot; her first thought was that Magna was telling Asta to let go of his feelings for her because they were unreturned.

“Simple Asta is in love with Sister Lily, a woman who spent 10 years of his life raising him.”

“You’re joking!”

“Nope, I’m serious. I’m fairly sure he told you that around the time you two first met.”

“I can’t believe it, but your right, he said he was in love with her, but I didn’t take him seriously!” Now Noelle started pacing back and forth in front of the whiteboard. If this is how she processes things, it makes sense.

“I thought Asta was kidding, doesn’t he know it’s not going to happen?”

“Knowing Asta after being around him so much? He probably fell asleep during church sermons and never looked into the vow’s nuns take,” Secre said simply she probably right. Asta doesn’t seem like the kind of person who could listen to something that long and tedious. Taking another breath feeling, she had to make the line even more evident for Noelle to understand things. To really think about Asta, she never really time to think consider she usually in the thick of things constantly. Noelle never had the downtime to really think about him objectively as should considering she likes him.

Anyone could get Noelle's reasoning; he was a ball of optimism, forgiveness, and kindness; he was a loveable guy. You can't help but like him. So, her having a crush on him makes sense. It’s why so many girls falling for him. It makes sense even though he’s blind to it. But the only issue is that she doesn’t see the whole picture of who he is.

“You have to keep in mind Asta is more sheltered than you in a lot of ways. Dating, relationships, and levels of intimacy, those aren’t things he knows about. He’s pretty naïve and innocent. To make it plain. Asta understands underwear has a slight concept of temptation but not what he is supposed to be tempted to do. He grew up in a church; I doubt talking about sex and puberty would be easy to have, so he’s clueless.”

Noelle was becoming red and agreeing it made more sense the more she thought about it. why Asta was confused by the mixer and the double date with Kahano. He probably wasn’t even sure what was going on and just treated it like a group of friends hang out.

Realizing that all this time, Asta been hung up on someone made her feel deflated, falling back into her chair at the table.

“So, he probably has no feelings for me at all?” Noelle said, putting her face on the table.

“Are you really that self-absorbed? He just had a wake-up call, and he's devastated; he’s your friend and has a little sympathy for him; he’s hurting.” Secre said an eyebrow calling her out; it’s not that anyone hasn’t, but it’s not like she has a friend her own age here; it’s just Asta. Vanessa, while she is great, is like a big sister for The Black Bulls, but the reality is you need a friend to call you out on your behavior. And Secre is more than willing to do that for Noelle.

Noelle, for her part, did look chastened, realizing Secre was right. She was being selfish, only thinking of herself and how this affects her. Asta was hurting, and all she could think about is herself.

“Noelle right now? He’s probably brokenhearted and healing from a long-standing crush. That always takes longer to let go. Right now, I need you to realize something.”

Secre, for her part, looked Noelle in the eye. A slight spark of something her eyes.

“You have an excellent opportunity right now. Asta trusts and believes in you. After Magna is done with him? when he starts to heal, he will want to feel a love that mutual, and honestly, I don’t want you to lose out to Mimosa because you were too afraid to show him how you feel.” Secre said, patting her hand in a comforting way.

“You know about her too?” Noelle looking at her, tilting her head as her mouth fell open in shock.

“She’s not even trying to hide her crush, Noelle?”

Raising her eyebrow at the younger girl. Secre wondering how dense people can be. It was clear that two of them were fighting over Asta; the only ones who didn’t know where not around them enough to know or slow on the uptake like Mimosa.

“It’s a wonder Finral hasn’t told Asta. She was pretty blatant about wanting to be around him. even when we visited The Heart Kingdom. I almost opened my mouth when I was transformed into a bird and said, let Asta breathe.” She said, shaking her head but smiling Noelle realized she had never seen Secre smile since she had transformed back into a human.

“Seriously, Noelle, now that you know Asta isn’t a pervert or anything like that. Do us all a favor be nicer to him. Have friends hang out, train together, show him you can be there for him without getting mad at him, and looking like a basket case. You don’t want to end like the Captain of The Blue Rose Knights?”

“Wait, what do you know about her?” Noelle looked keenly interested in the gossip, smirking but shook her head, knowing that wouldn’t be a nice thing to talk about.

“Maybe I’ll tell you another time. If I see you following my advice. A bird can go to a lot of places and hears conversations that most wouldn’t know were being overheard.” She said with a raised eyebrow.

“But for now, I must be going. I got training with Zora. Us newbies got to look out for one another, you know.”

Leaving Noelle with her thoughts.

* * *

Julius was seated at his desk at his office. As he had been all day doing back paperwork that he had been neglecting for the last few months. _All of from when he was still his correct age right now, it made sure I couldn’t run away from the paperwork in front me no matter what._ Even though he was behind a stack of paperwork that is taller than he was now. It was the saving grace of his condition that paperwork was obscuring him from anyone who came looking for him, and it hid him from anyone gunning to be the next wizard king. His Vision of the door and of anything going for that matter couldn’t be seen. When he felt heat coming towards his door and screaming that she should stop. He knew that he didn’t have enough magic power to camouflage his appearance, just the abruptness, and the heat even though they were incoming that could only be one person.

Mereoleona has a request. She wasn’t someone who understood waiting or appointments. Her impatience being how she got the Captainship of the crimson lions while her brother was injured even though the vice-Captain should have gotten the position.

“Julius! Julius gets your ass out here or lets me in!”

“Please, your majesty, wait!” He could hear the punching and arguing that she should go home or that take an appointment like themselves.

“Oh, my leg! Oh, my arm!” I could hear the palace guards yelling, knowing that she was punching her way through the guards to get to my office.

“Stop being babies; you’re part of the palace guards! That’s barely a scratch!”

“I wanted to talk to you about the newest crop of junior knights.” Taking a moment to think of something making his voice older should be a low-level spell, he could pull off if she can’t see my face as long as my face is hidden.

“Fine Marx, let her in.”

“But sir!”

“It's fine.” Julius saying hoping that Mereoleona is not in a curious mood today.

“Hello, Mereoleona, sorry if I can look you in the eyes. I’m buried in paperwork and reviewing all the civilian requisition forms and claims of damages.” it was a weak lie, but I hoped it was enough to make sure she didn’t look over the stack of papers that’s fine.

“I'm used to not seeing your face when I'm in your office Julius.” Her voice was of handed. The urgency and tedium already annoying her. She never asks for permission, so she must be asking for something big.

“I wanted to take a few of the Captains and the junior knights with me to the volcanic mana zone, where we found a lot of gold, and I am pretty sure there was a secondary dungeon.” Her voice sounded urgent and sure she better than anyone would know, and her hunches about things have been rather spot on and accurate.

“That the one we found had the only the superficial decoy dungeon to dissuade anyone strong enough to make through the volcano, to begin with.” Mereoleona really thought it through, and she wasn’t wrong; some of the stronger dungeons have this as a possibility riches when they are a secondary and even tertiary treasure that needs to be discovered that was the real treasure.

“I want to take five other squads Captains and the junior knights for the first trip; there was a lot of gold that needs to be collected. On top of that, I wanted to make sure the Captains themselves are up to par. It feels like we are more inept and weaker than we have any right to be, and that’s why you called me out the mana zone, right?” Honestly, she wasn’t wrong; it was one of the reasons considering my duties. I couldn’t bring anyone to the level I would like them to be. I have to sit on the sidelines and, at times, accept the reality in question with no real way to intervene and help. Sometimes having to muddle through the bureaucracy trying to create the initiative.

“Who do you have in mind?”

“Captain Yami, Captain Nozelle, Captain Jack, Captain Charlotte, and Captain Dorothy.” With no hesitation or even a stutter, she was sure.

“Why them, particularly?” Julius could help but ask her reasoning for taking so many people and squads with her. Not really known for ask permission before she did anything.

“Nozelle has been resting on his laurels; he needs to keep up the pace because he is falling behind the standard.” It was mocking her little cousin who always seemed to gloat about his squad but has been falling so short.

“Captain Yami was with me when we initially discovered it, and his junior knight would really benefit from the experience from it.”

“I’ve seen the pathetic display from Captain Jack’s junior knights, and I know he wants an excuse to punish them and make them work harder,” she said somewhat off handily.

“Captain Charlotte for a similar reason as Captain Yami as well I haven’t met her junior knights.”

“Captain Dorothy is actually awake now; what more reason do I need? The woman is renowned for sleeping through everything while still being a powerhouse. That’s someone you want to see put through her paces more them anyone.” _I could hear her excitement; I wish I could see that myself being excited. Dorothy’s still being awake after a fight is over, is a surprise; I wish I could watch it myself, but if I got out like this, I wouldn’t just lose my position_. His thoughts were running away from him.

“As well as a few more junior knights as I see fit. I was thinking of taking my younger cousin mimosa’s team from the Golden Dawn, but if I need to take a senior knight? I’ll try to avoid their Captain. I know it wasn’t him, but I still don’t want to see him right now.” Her growl made her reasoning even more apparent.

“When do you want to take them to the volcano?”

“This evening, the soon the better, plus this acts as proper endurance training. We aren’t leaving until we unearth everything in the first dungeon.”

“You are asking for a tall order Mereoleona.” And she was it was leaving the capital somewhat shorthanded.

“I’m leaving the Golden Dawn relatively untouched. I’m taking five members tops; I’m asking for one of their senior knights. I’m leaving the Purple Orcas and the Aqua Deer here. They were complaining about being in dead last in The Star Festival, and The Gold Dawn were nearly edged out by The Black Bulls.” She let the thought hang in the air; she had seen that The Black Bulls push themselves a hell of a lot more than most the other magic knights by leaps and bounds, but that still wasn’t any excuse.

“It's clear they need to earn the goodwill and power they think they should have. Why not pick up the slack?? Mereoleona, for her part, seemed annoyed by the lackadaisical efforts of the magic knights. _Honestly, I don’t blame her; I felt the same way in a sense. Most of them aren’t putting their one hundred percent or slacking when weakness and results are what is needed right now._

“You’re not wrong, Mereoleona, you’re not wrong. The Golden Dawn, more than any other magic knight squad, had a lot of members who were possessed. More than anyone, they should be out there, helping with the cleanup assisting the capital in rebuilding. They are still under Suspicion of treason even though the possession is being written for public knowledge. Mobile or not, they should be the first ones out there helping to restore order in a fix a lot of the damage day their possessed selves created.” Think it over already knowing what his answer was going to be.

“Fine request granted, but I want them back here by at least noon tomorrow. No need to leave the capital shorthanded.” Julius, on his part, knew he would agree to her request regardless. The king had been insisting on getting the gold that had been in the vault. _I would rather push him over a waterfall then follow his commands, but I can’t make any changes if I’m in prison for disobeying the king, can I?_

“If you’re going to go looking for the second dungeon, advise you to try to do that on another day. Isn’t that more than enough for your little endurance training trip push them, but don’t kill them; not everyone has your level of mana or experience.

“Pleasure doing business with you, Julius.”

* * *

Sunset was fast incoming, and if anyone had the energy, they would say it was a beautiful sunset. That gold glow of the sun setting the pinks, purples, and the way it looks was awe-inspiring. But the reality, everyone was inside after a long day, some metaphorically, some physically and just pushing themselves somewhat hard. With everyone just lazing in the living room other than Luck, who was buzzing with unused energy and decided to challenge Zora to mixed results, including a stink bug and having his lightning thrown back at him. To Luck, who was growing increasingly excited with every tactic Zora seemed to use? Zora, who was rolling his eyes and giving him a halfhearted effort.

As if he was called to break up the atmosphere, Captain Yami burst into the room, grabbing the attention of everyone, even Charmy, who had just finished cooking for everyone. And dinner was still piping hot and smelled divine.

“Alright, everyone, I got some new pack a day bag the lioness herself wants us at the volcanic mana zone; she said if we’re not there in thirty minutes, she’ll pulverize us!”

“Since Finral’s never been where we’re flying too. So sorry, short stuff leave some for Henry but take the meal to go, alright?”

“You got it, Captain Yami.” With Charmy just putting most of the food in a basket that no one had ever seen before but shrugged, assuming this is just something Charmy could only do.

“No time to waste, get to the brooms!”

“Of course, sir.” Came as a cheer from everyone else.

With everyone filing out with Finral falling behind, knowing he was following everyone. He had never gone with him before.

“Finral,” Captain Yami clapped the shoulders of Finral. A look of seriousness that he expects out of him.

“Be ready to work hard. We may need a few sacks at least to get what we need out of the dungeon.”

“I got it; you can count on me, Captain Yami.” Finral sighs, but knowing he needed to get strong and prove himself to his family and Captain Yami that he was stronger than everyone thinks. After saying that, he felt confident more so then he felt in weeks. He took to his broom and follow the rest of The Black Bulls to wherever this dungeon was. Finral half-listened to Captain Yami, assuming the place can't be too bad, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: welp the players have changed instead of just Mereoleona snatching a few people? She took a bunch of people. Like I love Mereoleona! She reminds me of myself in anime except I'm great with kids and would’ve known to fire juggle or make a fire lion they could ride or pet.


	5. Finally!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I spoil nothing; I own nothing but my plot. Slightly OCC of some Characters as the warning. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment if you notice something wrong a problem. Also, a bit of a long chapter. Since I’m going on vacation, I decided to upload this early.

It was a regular day. Well, familiar to everyone that had joined Mereoleona in magic squad boot camp, which was the Captains and a lot of the junior magic knights and some of the senior knights. The threat to the kingdom, making them want to be strong enough to take this fight head-on. Everyone was at the base of the volcanoes taking as much of the gold they could. The sacks were full thanks to Finral, who Yami made sure was a part of this and was taking the training as seriously as everyone else. He was willing to be a sport and coming back and forth with new bags and teleporting them to the hideout, with the express permission to not touch even a gold coin on the penalty of death from both Yami and Jack, who were not having it. Since they found out, they were getting a pay cut to their salary. They needed the finder’s fees more than anyone in the squads. So, it was odd to see above them spatial magic activated instead of a familiar owl as was the common letter carrier in the Clover Kingdom; it was a pitch-black bird sleek and a letter in one claw and package in the other.

The raven, noticing Jack, slowed its circle, descending down, finding a perch on his shoulder. Cawing and motioning to the letter in its claw, the letter addressed to him with his last name. Only three people would ever address something with his full name, and his parents were remarkably busy being grandparents to his siblings' kids to send him something or letter on a day that wasn’t his birthday. _So, She’s Still Alive. What Took Her So Long?_

Ripping the letter with a gentler touch then anyone had ever seen him. He read the letter, read it twice, three times, then slumped to the heated ground. A dopey smile on his face with his tongue sticking out, but he didn’t care. He had agonized over Andromeda, worried when she never wrote. Like she said when I saw her the very last time, I saw her in person. There was a manhunt for her; the king claimed she was treasonous and a thief and would be killed when found. It was all over the papers the Crimes she had supposedly committed; they ran article after article, her face plastered with almost realistic artistic rendering. That if anyone knew where she was or any clues about where she went? That they better come forward or die with her. At that moment, He knew she made the right decision, not to take him with her. The palace guards marched into my home looking for Andromeda, and if it wasn’t for my magic, those idiots might have killed my family just for associating with Andromeda. The reason she didn’t take him to where she was running off to making more sense as time went by, but my heart missed her. You don’t find girls like her every day. And Jack refused to let any other woman in his heart. She had prime real estate, and Jack admitted if only to himself that he would die before allowing another even come close.

“Well, aren’t you a sight to see! You look like a lovey-dovey dope Jack just by a letter?”

Usually, he would get up and challenge Yami. Friend or not, there was no need to point it out and gain the attention of everyone. But instead of getting mad or challenging him? He handed the letter to Yami. He was in too much shock, and he needs to talk to a friend, and when it came to close friends, insane as it sounds, Yami was a good friend. It's just between them; they just can’t help but get competitive with one another.

Passing the letter up, letting her words flow over him, repeating over him, making him so much better.

**Dearest Jack,**

**Hi. I know it took me fifteen years, and from the deepest depths of my heart, I’m so sorry for being so late. I was going to send this letter as soon as I found a new home, but the country I escaped to, Britannia in the northwest sea, didn’t have letter carrier owls. I had to find a bird that not only had spatial magic like owls and domesticate them myself. It’s no excuse, but you and I both know I had to make sure that bird could make such a long trip. I tested the range for long-distance travel before I even attempted sending a letter to you also going to the country of Hino in the eastern sea and that Amaya in the southern sea to be sure that the bird could make the trip. I never wanted to make you waited this long. I missed you so much it hurt. Open the package. It’s a magical item I invented that can’t be interfered with or disrupted. I have a lot to tell you, and I want to apologize to you. I know you worried about me. And I wouldn’t be mad or hurt if you ripped up the letter and never spoke to me again; I would deserve it for how long it’s been with no word from me like I promised you.**

**Love, Andromeda Shoal Bixby**

“Look at you, Jack, are you going to open the present? It seems to me like you already forgave her for being so late.” Yami was nearly chortling at him, but he didn’t care. Yami woke him out of the stupor that she had given him a present, and from the way she hinted, it was a communicator with a long-range that she invented. He opens the gift; it looked like a fancy mirror gilded in silver. The handle on the mirror had a space for the thumb, and there was a note stating to say tutorial, and it will teach you how to use this communicator. And he said it in a soft voice, and it started explaining everything about this mirror. **_How to use this item; this communicator is set up with and connected to various mirrors around the world placed in Britannia, the continents of Ishgar,_** **_Alakitasia, Guiltina, Hino, Amaya, the Heart kingdom, and individual districts with The Diamond Kingdom and recently The Witches Forest_**. Everyone started crowding around, never seeing a magical item explains itself and give details like this, explaining in-depth detail on how to call someone and that you need to specify if they had a relatively common name in their country by using their town to narrow the search. It was shocking to see something so sophisticated in the hand of the ripper. His face had been reddish since the raven had shown him the letter. It didn’t seem like anyone, not even the Captains, were going to let him have this conversation quietly. With only a few of the junior knights still keep up with the task of collecting the gold.

Still, most of them? The ones who had seen the most action in the last half-year watched the spectacle with shock or interest. Some pretended they weren’t interested but where watching regardless of Yuno, and Magna and Luck, who usually didn’t care too much, but Jack the ripper being this uncharacteristic, got even him interested in what was going to happen.

“All right, you group of nosy gossips! Are you that interested in my chat with my old friend?”

“Yes!” A few of them outright, shamelessly yelled out that they were going to watch the apparent lovelorn Captain getting in contact with a woman; he had apparently held a torch for a long time. Some like Finral were already showing muttering loud enough for others to hear,

“Does everyone have such grand love stories, and then you got me a loveless loser.”

Some muttering about what they remember from the news articles, even Mereoleona was watching with intrigue. They saw the name Andromeda Shoal, and they were wondering how she survived the manhunt for her.

Yet Mereoleona even knew about the supposed charges against the girl. She had been the maid of the royal family of the Clover Kingdom, and anyone in the royal family old enough to remember and be there? Remembered that maid particularly well. She was rather unique; her eyes and hair stood out, as well as how long she worked for the king. Back then, the king didn’t have maids that lasted exceptionally long. And she lasted eight months. They had been shocked that the little maid would do something of what they accused her of.

The Vermillion family had borrowed Andromeda more than once. When the maid that was contracted to the family would take a free day? Andromeda cleaned better than the maid we had staffed. _I_ _know Feugoleon had a small torch for her then thinking she was beguiling_. _Something he only admitted when I held him under a headlock threatening to burn his eyebrows off._ So, she had to admit that she was just interested in how things were about to play about between the ripper and the supposedly treasonous ex-maid.

“If you want to listen in to this conversation? You need to be quiet, don’t go introduction yourself and jumping in front of the mirror. Unless I give the go-ahead, I have no idea what time it is for her or if she will even be awake just yet. I have been waiting to talk to her about what actually happened so long ago.” His voice was gruff, annoyed with all the attention.

Everyone seemed like they wanted to ask half a dozen questions, but the look in his eyes said that anyone foolish enough to interrupt would have a shallow grave right here in the lava.

“Andromeda Shoal Bixby,” he said clearly, but there was wavering in his voice.

“Mistress!” He heard a voice that he didn't recognize another voice called with an accent, but the reflection wasn’t showing anything but his reflection.

“The mirror is ringing for you!”

“Really!” A voice called that was familiar to Jack; he felt his heart clutch in his chest; he thought that he would never hear her sweet voice ever again.

There was a thud, and the mirror reflection showed a beautiful woman with long Ashe Blonde hair with two deep black horizontal lines through it. The room she stood in would not be out of place for the royalty of the Clover Kingdom. Her maid, who was fussing but turned the light in her room, illuminating her. She looked as much as an angel as the last day he saw her.

“If it isn’t the shooting star deigning us mortals with her presence.” He bowed, just like when he was a kid, and he would drag her along to prank the town.

“Well, a shooting star has to crash sometime! Why not with the sweet guy I've ever known? I was sure you’d burn that letter from me.” She said a relieved smile, her glittering I couldn’t help smiling her.

“Are you kidding?! I missed you like hell! You still owe me the truth about what happened fifteen years ago! The palace guard came to my home after you left! I had to use magic to make them leave nearly took me, prisoner, thinking I helped you run from **justice**.” Using air quotes bring a smile to her face.

She laughed; “they looked at the wrong person, but that’s one of the reasons I knew you had to stay behind with your family, and you were all I had. They knew they could make me come and meet my fate if I stayed on the continent.” She said, her voice full of joy but trailing off as she looked at the background behind him for the first time.

“Where are you? I swear I see a molten cavern behind you or is my reflection on the fritz? She said.

“I’m not exactly alone; sorry about that. Still, we have a bit of an audience.” Turning his mirror to all the people to the left. Who were all listening and knew not to speak, waving slowly, showing the crowd of faces? Still, then he turned the mirror when he passed over The Black Bulls and the golden dawn junior knights who had crowded together. He heard a large thud. Turning the mirror back to himself, his face panicking. And everyone in the audience started to crowd the mirror, the woman apparently shocking everyone with concern to start moving.

“Milady!”

“What happened!” Some of the nosy onlookers yelled. Everyone who had been patiently listening. Unconsciously have been gasping, some yelping wanting to see if the woman was OK. Most of the crowd? Knew better than to try to rip the mirror out of Jack’s hand, stood behind him to see what was going on with the reflection.

“Andromeda! Andromeda! What’s wrong.”

Andromeda seemed to come around her eyes, focusing but watering.

“Jack, I will tell you everything that I can. Since all of you are going to listen regardless of how horrible the tale is. I would like the adults? To walk all the people under the age of eighteen out of this conversation. To preserve some semblance of the goodness of the world, they don’t need to hear something like this.” Her voice nearly broke; her eyes looked as if she would break down and cry. But she was holding it in.

Asta, who had been watching with some curiosity, realizing this was a romantic situation, watched, and listened to learn about what real love is like. From apparently lovesick Captain and this mystery woman. That talk with Magna still resonating in his mind... But the way this woman was just kicking them out of the conversation seemed unfair.

“Miss Andy, come on! Let us in the conversation! Whatever it is? We can handle it! We are royal knights; we have all been through calamities and bad stuff every one of us here has! Jack is the Captain of The Green Mantis Magic Knights’ Squad. We have seen some horrible things already! Whatever you story is, I have no doubt everyone who is here can handle it.” His voice held conviction looking this woman in the eyes, shocked since he didn’t get a good look at her before. Realizing her eyes were two different colors, her left eye was green, and her right was amber. She had the most unique hair color and type he had ever seen, wondering if she did that to her. Asta had seen before, never seeing stripes in hair like that before.

Trails of tears flowed down her face; she whimpered, unable to look Asta in the eyes look right at Jack.

“I won’t repeat myself, Jack; it’s bad, worst, then you can imagine.” Jack gave a cutting look at the Captains. Who took the silent command and acted without question? Shooing their junior knights out and back to work. Some of them loudly protested Asta and Noelle; some of the louder voices some of the other, realizing that it had to be pretty bad if the woman was crying. Klaus decided to be the one to drag them out, being the one tasked with making sure they didn’t jump in or listen to what was obviously a very adult conversation and none of his business. Telling them to get back work to keep looking around that more secrets can be unearthed if they focus on the task at hand. Most of them started grumbling but did what they were told for once, so Yuno, for his part, put himself in a place where he can slightly overhear their conversation even though he could he wasn’t in the line of sight. _Not old enough to listen, who was she to judge?_

“The kids are gone now; it’s OK now, Andromeda,” Jack said, taking this more seriously than any meeting with the wizard king; his usually crazy, combative, and slightly homicidal behavior wasn’t present. All the Captains present were looking at Jack, never seeing him so serious about something.

“Oh, Jack,” the tears were falling, but she took a large breath. She was steadying herself.

“Now I need all you to vow not to harm or attack anyone because of what I say. Everything I say is not only true, but I have others who can back me up on the matter, but because of the wealth, I accumulated? The fact a noble house adopted me within Britannia. I will be coming home to the Clover Kingdom; I have a business to expand after all. Regardless of the Order for my death and treason means nothing to me. I already have a plan for that. The truth will out, I assure you.” her face was seen to all those assembled her face looked They all stood behind Jack to see her face more clearly than that when they were in the crowd behind him, and he can see that her eyes were watery, but there was a determined look there. It said that she would get through and see her truth even to a bunch of strangers and told someone she cared about very deeply no matter what.

She looks at the crowd assembled; some of them were familiar faces and somewhere strangers. She had hoped when she told Jack. He was at home or a private place, but Andromeda was nothing but adaptable. She was taking a deep breath.

She started from the first day working in the castle being raped on a nearly daily basis and the king’s lust and what he did to maids who tried to quit, fell pregnant, or aged. She had seen more than twenty maids be executed on trumped charges; she knew that she would easily be next if she slipped up. When she had only been working there for two months, and she found out, she was pregnant, and she needed help to get out of the kingdom and to protect her pregnancy from being discovered. Everyone was gobsmacked at the tale. The reason she asked the youngest among them to leave was apparent. She may have lost innocence and naivety to the world before she was ready even to have a grimoire, but she wouldn’t want to crush them with the reality of why she had to run for her life.

Mereoleona, who had been listening diligently, couldn’t help but growl. The reality of what someone she had known had gone through silently.

“Damn, no wonder you looked panicked whenever our family offered you more money to work for us instead! That bastard! I knew there was something wrong with him! He always gave me a lecherous grin until I singed his hair; he learned to stay away then.”

“I remember him sniffing around my home as well. When I was fourteen, the late queen was barely cold in the ground. When he was already trying to replace her. I was nearly retching at the proposal. I argued with my parents against it, which they agreed.” Charlotte piped up typically, not one to solicit private information about herself; she knew in her heart? This young woman was speaking the truth. She remembers that it felt like every day, King Clover used to kill a maid and seemed ridiculous, and commoners were terrified to work for nobles and royals for years. Because of how much of a despot the king was then. The constant beheadings made people scared and wary of seeking employment in the capital. I remember those days as well as reading the headlines. She was young and assumed the best of the king when most of us in those circles were under a similar notion honestly. Most did not understand how he had such a rash of lousy luck of hiring so many untrustworthy, conniving maids in his midst. Remembering the litany of crimes, all the ex-maids had been claimed to have done. Realizing the cover-ups, and corrupt the capital and the king truly was.

“But who helped you leave the country and hide a pregnancy?! It’s a miracle you got away at all! I remember several maids died after you left! Until the wizard king, we have now, he put his foot down told the king that he couldn’t have that many maids and to just have two female attendants and let that be that. Let the servants hiring and firing be something that doesn’t need his attention.

“The only people who knew and helped me flee were Julius Novochrono and Owen, the royal physician. They helped me escape; they also gave me the means to take my children to safety far from the capital. Somewhere they wouldn’t be murdered in their cribs because of my lack of noble blood. “

“Children?” Dorothy, who had been quiet up until this point, piped up.

“I had twin boys. I had to do the hardest thing I could ever do and leave them far away in an orphanage. My heart broke, letting them go, but at least I named them. Julius couldn’t tell me where the boat was taking me for my own safety. And I knew that I was on my own the minute the ship docked. It was luck that the noblewoman took pity on me and made me her heir. But if I had two newborns with me, I have no doubt? No one would have taken pity on us, and we would have frozen together.”

“You could have told me!” Jack raised his voice; his eyes are glistening her pain, hitting him two-fold.

“I wouldn’t have cared! Your children, wherever they are, I would have loved them, will love them like my own! I would have married you regardless! I would have run with you!” Jack's voice wavered, but the conviction truth in his words shocked everyone there; they had never seen him like this and shook them to their core. The women were swooning; they couldn’t help it. Most women wait their whole lives for confessions of love this unconditional, this devoted. To hear it out of Jack the ripper. Who was homicidal or scary on the best of days, never took meetings seriously, and tend to be right there with Yami as someone who’s the first one to start drinking when a celebration is upon them? It was like seeing him a new for the first time.

“Who would have saved your family? Without your magic, your family stood no chance! You had a lot of magic power and a lot of control. Your parents were as good as my own! I would be heartbroken to have lost them, you know.” She looked sad, like she had thought of doing just that. Running away together but knowing that would hurt people if she had done it.

“I know you; Jack, better than you do. I know you could be all of that and more, but a couple and two newborns were too conspicuous. We would have been murdered before the boat left port.” Her voice said everything implying people were staking out the towns for oddities or people who stuck out. She had mentioned she wasn’t even the first maid who carried a child to term and escaped, but she got caught at the docks with her child in tow. That maid and her child had been killed there and then. They were buried in a shallow grave somewhere in the forest near the port. A shiver running to those who had come to the same conclusion she did, and she really was left with no choice in the matter; it was either she left alone or get caught and died. Anything that would bring attention was a non-option for her.

“Why are you always right, Andromeda?” Jack sighed, looking at her, not angry but glad to be able to talk to her. Everyone watching on melting away; it was just them two again.

“Because liking you was never wrong?” She said with a wavery smile. Reminding him of when people told her to stay away from him because he was wrong for her. A joke, they had between them. He laughed his trademark laugh.

“Gods, I missed your laugh; I swear the last time I heard you laughing like that was when you placed a whole container of bubble soap in the fountain in the front lawn of the palace!”

“Wait, Jack, that was you?! The plants never grew back there!” Feugoleon reprimanded, remembering the incident, and assuming that it had been Mereoleona; she was wild enough to try it.

He laughed even harder “anything to make you smile, my sweet star.”

“Alright, I got to go; it’s two am here, and I got to tell my staff that I’m moving back home. It’ll take a week to get the ball rolling, much less than that to get the ship rolling too. But I’ll call you at a reasonable hour my time tomorrow, alright? Hopefully, next time, we don’t have an audience.”

“Jack! Jack!”

Everyone started hissing at him; the audience wanted to say something and wouldn’t stop until he gave them a chance.

“Apparently, the peanut gallery has things to say, to you,” she started snickering as Jack passed the mirror to Mereoleona and Feugoleon took ahold of the mirror they were fighting over it.

“Stop one at the time; this particular mirror is special; it's durable, but I didn’t enchant it to withstand fire magic yet.” Mereoleona won the tug of war with a triumphed ha to her younger brother.

“I hope when you arrive in the shores of the Clover Kingdom, you ask my consul against the sovereign parliament if they try to take you in. Your Character was never in question, and I like to see you again. You were always an interesting young woman; you kept me on my toes. Even when I would mess you up on the days, you worked for us. But you never got mad or distressed. You dazed me with your magic and made laugh and made me apologized for being a royal snot. You would have been a nice friend, and I hope we could be friends now.”

“Aww, that’s sweet Mereoleona; I’d like that. And I would love your assistance with the parliament.” She passed the mirror to her younger brother, who wasted no time talking to Andromeda. The ordinarily stoic leader was shocking everyone by having a blush, looking nervous. Feugoleon quietly whispered something that even those close to him couldn’t hear, but Andromeda heard him clearly. Jack was silently fuming, not liking how Feugoleon was acting towards her.

“I used to help you back then; you know it was never that big of a deal to me; no need to be so shy about it Leo.”

Passing it to Yami, who was looking at Andromeda like she was a god sent, an angel.

“You’ve been to the land of the sun?”

 _“Yeah, I learned a lot there. I can assume you’re a lost son of Hino?_ ” Andromeda shocking everyone spoke to Yami in his first language. Which no one other than Yami spoke or understood. So, it was an entirely private conversation taking place to everyone present.

 _“Got wrapped in a mana tsunami when I was fishing on my own for the first time. I barely survived getting to Clover’s shores. It’s nice to speak in my native tongue with someone so fluent!”_ Many of the Captains could hear the huffing of Captain Jack, snickering at his annoyance, never seeing him jealous, and it was cute and so unlike him.

_“I can take you to visit if you want. I got the means. I assume you like the Clover Kingdom well enough._

_“Yeah, I can at least progress up the ladder here more so than I could back home.”_

_“Things have changed, young Yami!”_ She said with a chuckle.

_“You might not even recognize your homeland when you touch the soil there again.”_

_“Do they still practice Ki and communing with mana within nature using within yourself and strengthening your own core?”_

_“Yes, without a doubt, they still do.”_

_“Then it’s home regardless of how much it’s changed_.” Her smile holding secrets, and Yami, who wasn’t immune to the contagious smile the woman had mirroring it.

She was passing the mirror to Charlotte, who had been observing the conversation over-analyzing it from her perspective, worrying about a new rival but dismissing it quickly.

“I hope once you touch the shore here, we could have tea together; you seem to be a rather strong woman, perhaps more so than even me.”

“Don’t degrade your strength, Char.” Sol always Captain Charlotte’s cheerleader and ready to sing her praises.

“For the thousandth time, Sol, call me, Captain!”

“You got it, Char.”

Then the Silva siblings appeared on the screen. Nebra looked at her with something akin to pity. Nozel seemed angry, but Solid looked at her with remembrance and almost awe. He was the first to speak that awe and remember clear in his tone of voice too.

“I remember you. The maid that usually worked for our house took a day off, and you watched me. Even though you were busy cleaning up, you made time for me. You made those stars dance for me. I remember because things were getting bad, but I remember that you played with me that day.” Solid, who was well known for being intolerable twat most of the knights’ present, could be accounted for to call him one. The way he looks at her, this someone who had been nice to him genuinely for no reason; she didn’t have to be nice or play with Solid. He had a nanny at the time, and that should have been her responsibility. Andromeda just couldn’t help but try to bring a smile on the three years old’s face, didn’t want to see the kid so sad. The nanny didn’t seem to play with the kids; just teach them manners and be on her way.

“I remember you too, Solid, it’s nice to see you again.” She said it sincerely, the smile on her face

“I remember you vividly. We tried to buy your contract from King Clover; you put our maids to shame. you were fast and could leave something so spotless like it was brand new. We were willing to match your salary and then some, and he flat out said we couldn’t have you for any price. I knew something was wrong, but never something this bad. You have my sincerest apology on behalf of the royal house of Silva. And our support when the sovereign parliament decides to try to take you into custody.” Nozel looked passionate like he, without question, would stand up for her when that time came.

“I remember you for something else,” Nebra losing the pity in her eye; they were filled with mirth.

“You’re the one who first braided Nozel’s bangs.”

Everyone laughed so hard, they were nearly out of breath with Nozel, not finding it at all funny.

“It's not that funny. They are kind of iconic look him in their own way, don’t you think?” Andromeda said she giggled; the sadness had been wiped away as she remembered doing that for him the first time.

“Thank you, hopefully, when your back, we can have a stroll in the gardens,” Nozel said confidence without question and smile on his usually stern face. Unlike the other invitations? Nozel’s was a difference, and Jack nearly punched Nozel in the face.

“Maybe. Thank you for the invitation Nozel.”

Passing the mirror back to Jack, she gave him a once over. As the maid in the background dusted her bookshelves and rearranged her curtains, which showed the outpouring of moonlight.

“You know jealousy doesn’t suit you, being angry, being silly, heck even sleepy suits you. But jealousy?” She raised an eyebrow raise. “It just doesn’t seem like you.”

“Well, you seemed to have forgotten! I spent a lot of time in the village we grew up in, fighting the idiots who decided to be your suitors. I’m not jealous; I’m protective.”

“hmmm, I find that hard to believe. I told you then what you should remember now? You got nothing to be jealous of. I domesticated ravens just talk to you; no one on earth can say they have done something that insane just to talk to someone. Good night Jack, I’ll speak to you tomorrow.” Her smile was beautiful, her eye glittering like jewels. He didn’t want to cut the call, he could talk to her forever, but he could see the bags forming under her eyes.

“Good morning Andromeda. I hope to talk to you soon.”

Mirror connection cut her reflection gone reflecting only his face. Putting the mirror away in his rucksack, he turns to onlookers who were still staring questioning at him.

“What are you looking at! Shows over you busybodies. Get back to work?”

Everyone scattered, no one wanting to get on the wrong side of Jack, the ripper.

Yami came over to him and patted him on the back.

“No wonder you never liked getting set up for dates! If you had a girl like that, you were waiting on.” He had that big old grin Jack was an inch away from punching him.

“Yami, if you're interested in her too? Me and you can tango right now; I’m not picky. Nozel is lucky I don’t sever him in half for pulling that stunt.”

“Me and her? No. While she could be my type? Pretty clear to everyone here, she only has eyes for you.”

“Hmmm, like I even have a chance at a beauty like her. You heard her; she’s a noblewoman and a successful merchant now. Like I got a shot in hell with a woman like that.”

“She went through too much hassle for just a best friend. But if you want to lose her to the pretty boy, dragon breath, much worse me? Far be it for me not to allow you to make your mistakes, she’s a beautiful woman.” Jack snapped and pinned him to the molten cavern, blades out, and ready to run him through.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“No, I wouldn’t. I respect our friendship, fight for the woman you waited for. Instead of throwing the towel already.”

Jack dropped Yami, realizing that he wanted him to not give up on her when she fought so hard to contact him.

“Still, Yami, something is wrong; she didn’t tell me everything. The way she passed out when she saw everyone, I can’t help feeling like she’s not telling me everything.

“Don’t worry, it's not like you won’t have a chance to ask when you talk to her again when you have privacy ask her. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?

“Sixteen years since I saw her face. Time to get back to work, Yami,” Jack said with a sigh, taking a deep breath.

“Let’s make sure our junior knights are adequately motivated to make sure every scrap of gold is clean from the cavern, and no item is left unfound.” He said, his smile bordering his typical terrifying look on his face. Tongue out as intensely fearsome with an undercurrent of anger, and they were familiar with something now; everyone realized what the anger was coming from. The loss of a woman he cared deeply about.

“This is your way of not killing our current king,” Yami stated, not even daring to ask, knowing if that had been the woman he loved, Jack would have wanted to kill the king himself.

“Your damn skippy! That bastard raped the love of my life. She asked me not to kill him, and my blood still burns. If she hadn’t asked me, I would have left my knights right here, and I would kill him, and I would make it slow and painful.” His voice was drenched with murderous intent. His eyes shined with malice and anger.

“He stole sixteen years I should have had by her side. I would have confessed, propose, and got her to marry me; I had a whole plan. That prick just had to come to our town and force her to work for him. Paid the orphanage she lived at to take the sizable donation, something I figured out when I notice the building being fixed. They are bastards, every last one of them.” Spitting on the ground, every person who sold her away deserved to rot; they sold her innocence and happiness along with it.

“Now come on, we do get work to do.” Jack started walking towards the cavern; everyone was in, Yami trailing behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note, man, if I could be a fly to see all of you lovely readers. Complication drama, pain, regret, and revelation! So much said honestly, one of my favorite chapters so far! Remember to show your support leave a kudos and subscribe.


	6. Restless in Liones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a long night when revelation and surprises abound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: I own nothing but my plot. And this takes place from Andromeda’s perspective right after the call with Jack ended. Just because she seemed to bounce back doesn’t mean she did, and that’s all I’m going to say enjoy the story. This also by far my favorite chapter title.

_How! How could it be!_ The minute I ended the connection, I slumped into my chair. My heart racing the shock didn’t wear off, and who I saw made me want to burst into tears. My sons, they were with Jack. And Jack has become a magic royal knight, a Captain no less! My mind was abuzz with all the information I had just gotten. I didn’t know what to focus on, what to do! It’s just so much information to me so much had changed. But my sons, I swore that if I planned to go back to The Clover Kingdom, I would find them. No matter how long it took.

 _My sons, my beautiful babies, were sitting there!_ Just onlookers, I wanted so much to talk to them beg their forgiveness, but I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve for them to know who I am. I abandoned them. I had no choice but still. They made their way in the world look at them; they were royal knights! Things have changed in the Clover Kingdom. Well, so had I.

My home was beautiful, beautifully decorated with my four-poster bed. With my own private bathroom. The windows overlooking the city. My house closer to the docks, and the glimmering blue of the ocean calming my nerves. The portraits of my sons when they were infants that I had painted the minute I felt comfortable enough with my adopted mother to tell her why I arrived at Liones, much less to Britannia. She was a second mother to me; she consoled me and said to me that I should do something to ensure if I ever did go back to The Clover Kingdom? That I was protected and well-guarded. Though she burned with the desire to kill the man who raped me. I burned the same way about it, but I know there’s nothing I can do. And I had long vowed to make her wish come true when she passed on leaving her legacy to me.

There was a lot of adjusting to Britannia when I first arrived. When we got closer and closer to Britannia, I thought it might be that I was getting sick from not being near my sons. That I didn’t have enough time to really heal as much as I needed. A woman needs a least a day to rest after giving birth and six hours after I gave birth to my sons I was flying on a broom after arguing to doctor Owen that I need to flee now that I won’t have the time to recover safely. something the doctor solemnly realized as he heard the king exclaiming loudly about where she was. I got out at the perfect time, but I assumed how weak I felt was because of it.

Then I realized something so astounding. It was the mana all around me; it was so intensely concentrated that my body had a hard time adjusting; the mana is everywhere; it surrounds us; it’s in the ground the water and it pours out of its citizens. When I made it to shore, I had been so exposed that I could barely stand and collapsed getting off the boat. I decided, especially as I saw a raven fly and then use teleport from who knows where that the only way, I would be contacting anyone would be through the domesticating ravens to be letter carriers.

That took quite a while since one thing ravens are known for is their intelligence. So I had to show not only that I was doing this in good faith but that I could be trusted, and what I was doing for them was a benefit for them as much as it was for me. And considering the fact, the ravens even learn to talk? While I was domesticating them? Only made their viability as being mail carriers better. More than once, one of my ravens has been described as calling out for the person that the letter is for making me smile that I chose them and that they were that well trained without me having to do that much. As I learn to tame them, I honestly started loving the beautiful birds, the way they just seem to be playful and smarter than he would appear at first glance. Just seeming to know the good person from the bad were going to send out a message. On more than one occasion or even precisely when they’re delivering the letter. Sometimes when a package or a letter is in mid-process. The Ravens can’t and won't allow themselves to be used for the Nefarious or illegal trade. The ravens are as much independent as they are smart, and they’re going to know somethings wrong based on your body language. Their intuition has been a blessing considering the birds were smart enough to take a bad package to the nearest authorities; they are intelligent birds, and for that, I'm glad. It took a while little under three years after I moved in with my adopted mother for the flock to gain a little under a hundred birds. Who was living in a collection of birdhouses that are on my property I created for them so that they would be able to start delivering small letters around for Britannia.

It’s how I caught the attention of lady Merlin. I was fifteen, and my business had been spreading fast throughout the continent. And I was making a relatively steady profit. Even though my adopted mother had got me, private tutors, I spent my every free moment with the ravens knowing they could be the way I could contact the clover kingdom. I caught her attention. When a letter was delivered to her by one of my favorite raven’s named Sooty.

She was fascinating, and she was fascinated by how I was able to domesticate ravens for such a task that was so in vital and important to the kingdom. She was then more intrigued by my magic that really caught her interest, seeing how she had never seen my kind of magic before. I explained my story and what I had envisioned about using the ravens for, and I wanted to test the range of their teleportation, and they're being used for mail purposes, including trade. Which then brought me before the grand king, Arthur king of Britannia. I was just fifteen years old, then Arthur had been in power for a while, uniting everyone after some giant holy war that had only ended only after I had reached Britannia’s shores. And every independent country was now united under Arthur Pendragon. I showed him my inventions and what I had to offer. Including the ravens since the flock, I domesticated on my own, was astounding. When I set the mirror communication in Britannia, placing them in first in town squares then being paid to put them in the homes of those who could afford it. That’s when merlin decided to tutor me in the ways of magic and teaching me everything she knew as well as how to harness my magic.

It soon became clear I had done a giant service. When problems were being resolved as well as connecting people who usually never be able to speak. Arthur himself realized without delay to both raise my nobility for the service I just created would help the kingdom on a giant scale. And ease communication between everyone. That and the ravens lessen the threat of mail being destroy mid-route. He allowed me to test the range, create negotiations, and travel to different countries, realizing that magic in this part of the word developed so different than my home country. Within Britannia, it's similar, but no one needs the use of grimoires; their power will just grow; they have items that can expand their influence. Also, the magic races! It’s a fantastical place. Which modernized because of my travels. When I went to Ishgar, I took Merlin and Howzer, who wanted to see more of the world and had been hell-bent on flirting with me. I had just turned nineteen, and he was twenty, so it wasn’t so bad, and taking a deep breath, boy did Liones progressed from that visit. I think back on the things I did and smile. But that visit changed everything and delayed things for her. But she couldn’t regret it not for anything in the world even though her heart hurts for that.

The trades of value and knowledge? Had become such a valuable resource as well as mutually beneficial for all involved helping each other innovate in ways no one could have imagined before.

As I heard a magic mobile zip by on paved roads, I was more than glad for not to have taken a boat everywhere, spending weeks and months since that original boat ride to the country of Ishgar. When we discovered they had flying vehicles just not readily available for commercial or even private use, it was a project that Merlin and I decided to focus on for a month to make my own prototype airborne vehicle. Which could hold a hundred people if they need to be called for it? With straightforward enough controls with cargo space. If we do this perfectly enough, which we did. Because of where I traveled, I had changed a bit. But touching the picture of Asta and Yuno, my heart longing for their love and forgiveness. If it had been up to me, I would have taken them with me. Maybe they would have loved traveling with me, seeing the world, and getting to see new adventures, but if Jack had been at my side… I doubt I would have traveled far. He’s not wrong if we could get to the coast with my sons and made it aboard? I would have confessed we would have been dirt broke, probably moved to Vanya, and made ale. _I’ve more than once negotiated deals for the brewing town on their behalf. They have modernized and expanded their business because of that_. We would have been the youngest married couple anyone had ever seen! With infant children, we would have a point of interest for a long time, but we would have been happy together, but if I had done that?

We would have all died long before we had made it to the shore of Britannia, and I could never see my boys grow. I don’t want them to know how they were conceived if how passionate Asta is, reminds me of my dad when he was still alive. He’s just as strong-willed and angry. Regardless of how I felt about things, I have to tell them the truth. If I have to face the royal parliament on my supposed crimes against the kingdom? I might as well say to my children who I am because I wasn’t bringing them before the council, putting them at risk of their wrath. They had lived long enough to exceed the dreams I had for them. Looking at Asta and Yuno made my heart stop; I always wondered if they would be okay if they would be well-loved and cared for, and I can say they were at least enough to become royal knights.

I felt conflict and contradiction, knowing I would toss and turn all night. I decided when the morning rose; I would tell my mother I was moving back. I needed to establish the business for one, and I was long overdue.

**Bringgg Bring**

Noticing my mirror was ringing, and the maid had gone back to her chambers, and I was grateful; I rather don’t like waking her up or her worrying about me and my state. Pressing the button, Julius must have gotten my letter.

Pressing the button, glad I hadn’t gone to sleep like I had told Jack I would.

“Hello there, the hell happened to you!”

“Well, hello to you too, Andromeda, I see you are as lovely as ever with your words.”

Staring at me from the reflection was Julius alright but as a child.

“If you want me to be honest? There was a giant fight, and I was killed, but I had a failsafe as you can see before you.”

“Hmmm, I’m going to assume you stored magic in a container, but you didn’t put enough to at least be in your twenties?”

“Wait, how did you figure it out?”

“I’m a magical inventor now. Who partnered up with one of the most glutinous magical researchers on the planet? It’s one of five logical options for you to be in this state. For you looking this young Julius! Even when I left, you were about to be 30! Though there were a few others that are just as viable. But knowing your magic, that’s the most logical option that makes sense to me.”

Gripping the mirror, his face so closes his excitement clear on his face.

“You’ll probably meet her when I come back. through that depends on whether she wants to or not.”  
“Do you feel that is prudent? Tensions are rather high in the clover kingdom right now.”

“I saw my sons, their alive and well, Julius, they were with Jack out on some mission in a volcano. The royal parliament can try to kill me, but I’m an ambassador of Britannia I have the ear of the king. I am a friend of the queen of Fiore for my actions and prosperous relationships I fostered, and if I were killed on my mission, there would be hell to pay! I've done missions like this before with nations that might be hostile, I always have a guard for this. And I’m magical a force to be reckoned with too.”

“If you’re dead set on this Andromeda? I will support you; things have changed since you left, I am now the wizard king, I have more power and influence.”

“Thank you, Julius! Makes me glad I took an interest in alchemy. Since I am probably one of the few people in the world that could fix your age problem at the moment.”

“Marry me!” Julius’s eyes sparkled from excitement and intrigue at everything she had learned and understood, remembering how much of a geek he was for magic.

“Julius, you charmer, sorry, but my heart is already spoken for, but I’ll treat you to lunch.”

“But you being the wizard king? Makes things a little easier! I will be coming by my ship, and knowing how the clover kingdom is, they will shoot first ask questions later, I need a place to land my ship near the capital.”

“I am confused.”

“Trust me, once you see it, you’ll only have questions about how it works, and if I can get you a fleet of them for commercial and personal use.” I could feel a shark’s smile on my face since every time I arrived on my ship, once the shock wore off, trust me, it always happens the same way.

“I just need a forested area in the capital. I don’t want to have my ship destroyed; I could survive it, but I don’t want to have to rebuild with lacking materials. Like I could make my ship invisible, but anyone with enough mana sense will try to get the ship down.”

“Seriously, if that man you have your heart set on acts like a moron, my proposal still stands. You are a beautiful and interesting woman.” The smile on Julius’s face just seems to get better, cheeks slightly red but bright.

“I will not be ruining my entrance, Julius! No amount of flattering will help you.” Winking at him playfully. Which caused him to smile to broaden.

“Trust me, I rather see your face when it happens. Do you have some coordinates of place?”

 **Bring bring** “Wait a second let me merge the reflections.”

“Andromeda, is that really you? It’s been so long!” Doctor Owen looked noticeably older in the fifteen years since I saw him.

“Owen, you got a mirror from her Raven’s too?” Julius cried as they could see their reflections.

“Yes, tapped on the glass and flew right in front of my wife and my younger sons clapped, loving it. It was still a fright. I had never told my wife about you and what I did for you. Considering then, I had 16-year-old daughters then? She would have understood, so say hello to the missus.” Turning the reflection to show his better half.

“hello there.”

“Hello, their ma’am!

Nice to meet you! I’m assuming that Owen informed you of what happened privately?”

“Of course, I don't blame you for making that decision in the first place, dear! If I were in your position, I'd probably do the same thing. No child should have to make that choice, and it sickens me that I even I didn't even question the article when it came out. I just followed along with it even though they never actually explained your age. Or any of the ages of the girls that were executed in those days. Now excuse me, I will let you get back to your discussion.” Seeing her walk off the reflection. Doctor Owen taking center stage in the reflection of the mirror, smiling as his wife left the room.

“It’s nice to see you Owen, and I wanted to let you know? I saw my sons, and because of that, I am returning.”

“When and how did you see them?”

“Did I ever mention my childhood crush, my best friend? Jack Hyde?”

“Wait a minute!?”

“You’re kidding; you’re in love with Jack, The Ripper?!” Julius practically yelled; he was shocked; I could see it. I never gave him or Owen the last name. There where are half a dozen guys named Jack, I’ve met both in the Clover Kingdom and here in Britannia. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Is that what he’s calling himself now? How he did get sillier in my absence?” shaking her head, smiling at the thought of him picking that nickname for himself.

“Yeah, he called me, and we talked, and I saw my sons, I fainted from the shock. Jack wanted to know why I ran. I saw them as a part of the group, and seeing them there, I didn’t want them to hear something that disgusting, what happened to me? is not for the innocent to hear. I told him enough. I rather my sons heard from me that I didn’t abandon them. I wasn’t left a choice; we all know this; I will tell them the whole truth. they deserve that I doubt they could forgive my actions. especially when my oldest, Asta, confronted me saying he should know what’s going on.”

“Wait, Asta?!”

“I knew I recognized him! when Yami brought Asta to me, I thought he seems familiar to me?!” Doctor Owen said his eye gain a slight glint to them.

“It was so simple I delivered him and his brother Yuno. Wait, what happened to Asta? He was brimming with magic, so was Yuno I recorded their magic levels in my journals when they were born. why is he magicless?”

“Wait, he’s what ?!” I could feel my heart crashing! what happened to my son; thank gods I’m bringing merlin; there’s no way in hell I won’t figure out what’s wrong with him.”

“They are both your sons?? The magic knights’ rookieS of the year unbelievable,” Julius said in a whisper, causing my heart to leap they were doing that well.

“I wouldn’t have guessed! I never saw your babies. since I spent a day and a half keep the king busy with a fake proposed land expansion plan. I wouldn’t have known they were your sons.”

“Well, they are fraternal twins, so I assume nobody would realize that they were brothers, but I didn't think they were that rare. Don't you see the family resemblance?” Doctor Owen looked right at Andromeda, thinking of Asta seeing the hair color, and the other eye was as green as his.

“No, I see it without question,” Doctor Owen said with a smile.

“Same here looking at them. I should have known they got your looks to thank the Gods for small miracles. for their handsome young men, your sons are strong those two.”

“Wait, it’s too late my time to hear about my sons' accomplishments about the conditions that my firstborn is not in the state I left him in, and I'm dying to find more about this, but if I don’t sleep, I won’t be on my A-game, but I need to speak privately with Julius. Owen, though I have do have some medical innovations, I’d like to show you when I return in person...”

I almost wanted to keep you up, but I can tell you are quite tired. Farewell, for now, Andromeda giving him a soft wave. Leaving just Julius and andromeda.

"Now Julius, about what we discussed earlier?"

From there, Julius gave her the coordinates but to let him know when I was coming that he would want to be there when she got back. That he would want to see her, he did see her off after all, and that it would be almost poetic in a way.

I went to bed knowing tomorrow. I would have a full morning, discussing to King Arthur that I would be semi-permanently moving back to the kingdom of my birth but that I wouldn’t be resigning from her duties here. That I would still perform my duties as an ambassador or at least the continued training of a successor. As well as the responsibilities of an elite lady within Britannia. As well, let my adopted mother know that I was finally returning to the clover kingdom she may have known this day was coming doesn’t mean she would like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: I feel like this is the weakest chapter, but it was informative and like the interactions between barely a teen wizard king Julius. Before you ask, he is not in love with Andromeda, and it’s not that kind of story where everyone is falling over themselves to be with her. But does he have a slight crush? Yeah. Andromeda did something Julius can’t, at least not anymore. She has explored the world to learn different magic techniques and is different from the scared little girl he helped escape. Of course, he’s attracted and wants to be around her. She’s the kind of woman that would catch his attention. As always, I want to hear your comments on how you feel about the story so far. Yes, Julius and Owen didn’t know until now! She mentioned Jack in passing, but they never met him, only saw the aftermath of his antics, and after she escaped, he never came to the castle again.


	7. Aftermath, Revelations,and A New Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays! If you like the chapters leave a kudos and comment show your support.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I own nothing but my plot. I got news for everyone. I finally have an account that starts with P. look in the final notes to get a link! If you want to support me and see continuing writing, you can show support the same screen name here. I'm not spoiling this chapter's plot! Now on to the story.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. The last of the gold bags were collected at noon, which signaled everyone going back to their respective headquarters since they exhausted themselves magically. Some so notably worn out that they needed to be taken ahead. Some like Sekke, who had loudly complained about being overheated. As well as some of the Coral Peacocks' junior knights had to be taken ahead of everyone? So, they can rest up at their headquarters. But for the most part, everyone was just a little worn out and not really needed to rest up. Asta endured it even as his black Asta form dissipated; he pushed through the intensity of the heat, but the sun seemed to make him bake alive, but he was powering through it until he got back to headquarters, where they heard him running into the forest to the confusion of everyone but Yami.

"Hey, kid, the river is south of the hideout!"

"Thank you, Captain Yami!" He yelled out. Asta yell out clear enough for everyone to hear, most laughing and shaking their head, knowing he was cooling off after being on fire most of this morning.

But then everyone realized that there was a letter overhead that dropped on Captain Yami, the owl quickly taking off.

Ripping open the envelope quickly, he read it immediately; some noticed a secondary letter he discreetly read then tucked away into his pocket.

"Jack got himself in trouble already with Marx. He demanded to see Julius right now, he can't at the moment, but Julius has invited the kid, Jack, and two of the Golden Dawn members to some big meeting he wants to hold. Tomorrow."

"Did he state what's it was about?"

"It's probably about that woman we heard Jack talking to earlier today. And most of us got to speak to directly while they were saying their goodbyes."

"What did you talk to her about the Captain?" Vanessa seemed slightly jealous but intrigued.

"We talked about my homeland for a bit and asked me if I was one of those that had ended up washing ashore to the clover kingdom? She offered if I wanted, I could take a trip back to my homeland."

"Wait?"

"How?"

"Would she be able to do that?"

"Well, that's one of the things she hinted that at least to me privately that things have changed." Taking a puff from his cigarette, he continued.

"She wouldn't tell me everything, apparently having a flair for the dramatics." Taking a drag, a slight smile rising from his face.

"Possibly, everything that she's been through didn't affect who she was and is; she's a tougher cookie than most if that's the case. Considering she has feelings for Jack the Ripper? I would assume surprises, and being dramatic is how they bonded, to begin with." He said with a wry smile and a chuckle.

"Now, if all of you are entirely done asking questions, you all have work to do. The house won't clean itself, that includes you, Noelle. I know Charmy wanted to restock the pantry in the market, and you're helping her." Yami said matter-of-factly, in a way to those listening brokered no arguments.

Noelle nearly complained but thought better at the last moment. Restocking the pantry? That's a perfect opportunity to learn how to better person; as Secre says, I need to catch Asta's attention. Well, when he's ready to notice. Learning to cook from the resident best cook in The Black Bulls? It is my best shot at making a better impression.

"Vanessa, Grey? I need your expertise in something. Be ready in an hour." Nodding at them, who started walking to the house to wait in the living room.

"Zora, Secre you want to go, and train go on ahead? I know both of you are getting used to things; just keep an eye on things; if we get a call, be sure to let me know." Both nodded, heading to the woods somewhere.

"You four?" Looking at the group of knuckleheads left standing.

"Gauche, Magna, Luck, and Gordon take a thirty-minute break and then get to cleaning. Asta is going to be out of commission after overdoing it. It's up to you four to do his normal chores, and I want this place as spotless as if Asta were doing it and make sure the beasts are well fed."

"Then, can I visit Marie?" Gauche, as he always does, asks impatiently.

"You know what, Gauche? If you can actively participate in everything, I ask of you for a month? I will petition on your behalf to get you weekly visits. Deal?" There was a thud, and between the four, they realized Gauche had all but agreed to those terms. Suppose the bloody nose was anything to go by. Carrying him between the three of them, leaving Captain Yami with just Finral. Who already felt he would be working if the look in Yami's eyes was any clue? _Today was going to be a long day._

"Finral, you're with me today."

"Haven't I done enough today?" Finral, unlike everyone else, started to complain out of everyone? He had been pushing himself and his magic. He had been portalling all day and night, so out of everyone, he would be the most worn out of everyone still left awake.

"No, it's about pushing your limits today. We're pushing yours, Finral, since you need to show that you can keep up with our junior knights. Since we have to give everyone their cut of the gold that was recovered from the volcano. As well as the cut the capital gets. Including the magical items we found. At least the ones that aren't broken." The way he said it, you could hear the malice in his voice; what we learned this morning still sitting on most of our minds.

"Though I'm going to have a hard time keeping my cool with King Clover if I have to face him directly. So, let's just drop this it off with an attendant, and getting out of there as soon as possible is the first thing we are doing."

"Oh, right, I don't blame you. I personally don't want to be anywhere near him, myself." Finral squaring his shoulders, knowing he was going to be worn out when the day was over.

"Come on, Finral, let's get them their cut first and out of the way. Picking up the sack to their left as he went through his portal with Captain Yami. Hoping they can finish their business with the castle quickly.

* * *

Vanessa was thrown over the couch, deep in thought. Not a bottle of wine in her hand after what she heard this morning, she felt was heavy enough? What if she got drunk now? She would make herself forget and knowing that things in The Clover Kingdom are that bad worse than even she thought? She'd rather be sober at this moment and has it all clear in her mind. Andromeda was one of the strongest women she had met, and she wondered if she could get her own teatime with her. If for no other reason, she seems more put together than she was.

Her pain is more or less on the same level as her own, but she doesn't let it consume her. If she is willing to move back to the place that caused her so much pain, and she had made something of herself and pushed past it. Willing to fight an impossible battle? Grey voiced the thoughts of the room, whispering her words to the only person still awake. Since the guys were passed out on the other couches, they were magically exhausted, and Gauche passing out from shock and blood loss made them want to do the same thing. Leaving the ladies with relative privacy. Vanessa was staring at the ceiling, sightless and seeing nothing but turning when she heard Grey was talking.

"She was just a kid. That's a burden, a decision. I wouldn't ask for from anyone." Grey, well known for panicking and fearful behavior, actually spoke up to Vanessa. There was a slight waver, but she spoke without being unintelligible; that's a start.

Waiting on whatever assignment the Captain had for them mainly. They hadn't talked about it, it wasn't their business, but it didn't feel right to talk about this with Asta or Noelle here. It may not be their business, but it was clear they would be involved in this direction. Andromeda was right in a way it would ruin Asta's and much of junior knights' optimism; he more than most wants to push through everything. That determination and being stubborn was enough to achieve what you want. But the reality is bad things, roadblocks, and traps are set up for good people. The innocents get hurt and have to save themselves or die in the fallout. Andromeda, that guy Mars and I are the example of being told one thing and being treated like property until you run away or breakthrough what was done to you.

"That's a hard choice to stay and die, and her kids would die with her. Or live alone, and her children can live on without her. If I were in her shoes, I don't know if I could make such a hard choice." Vanessa said. Putting her head on the armrest, contemplating her own words.

Realizing that should never have been a decision that a thirteen-year-old had to make but was a reality for that woman they just met. Considering her options, she made the best decision she could in such a limited amount of time. She had to sacrifice everything. Willing to do everything to make sure that they lived. Even the man she loves, if I'm right about the chemistry between her and Jack, was electric even from where I stood in the group.

"She was willing to leave everything behind to make sure that they survived. I wonder where her kids are now; that's the real question?"

"Knowing the way of The Clover Kingdom? Those twins she had? are probably still stuck in an orphanage somewhere. Maybe they are working, but it's doubtful. No one really takes the time or cares about the children that are parentless and have nowhere else to go." Vanessa said, remembering how many times she had seen a homeless child scrounging in the garbage and trying and failing her civic duty in trying to get them to an orphanage they had obviously run away from. Her own heart wishing that they could do better for them and by them but couldn't.

"No matter how much is changed, there are still some things that haven't, and that's one of them. No one wants to take the time and effort to raise a child whose parentage they can't trace back or doesn't benefit them. At least around The noble circle, that's usually the case." Grey spoke with some familiarity as she knows from a personal standpoint if the bitterness was telling enough about how she felt about it.

"A noble adopting a younger noble it's usually a power play or to drain their inheritance of the child. It's not done out of the kindness of their hearts, their usually ulterior motive, and it's disgusting, but there is no law against it." Her voice had a wave of hidden anger just under the surface. Shocking to her but letting Vanessa get to know for the first since they met.

"Compensation for taking a child that's not yours is expected, but there is no law about draining that child's wealth when they can't defend themselves. Among the elite, it's too common a practice. What happened to Gauche and Marie? Aren't outliers or something rare? But a systemic problem of power and money-hungry nobles." She said, her voice filled with venom.

"For the average commoner just living their life, that's just another mouth to feed that they might not be able to afford. At least when they're in an orphanage? Or donations and people take the time actually to care and make sure that the church is running."

"So, it would make more sense just to let them grow up in those churches and eventually become an adult. They may not have a Yule to their name, but at least they were fed three meals a day and had clothes on their backs for most of their childhood. Which is better than necessarily being adopted and possibly just suffering along with a new family that they're living with." She said those words with certainty from a place of both wisdom and a tinge of sadness.

"But considering the ways, Andromeda's life just seems to get better the minute she left the Clover Kingdom? That woman had a lucky star to pray to make up because her life is just so full of pain when she lived here. Or maybe fate was just on her side that day, who knows?" Vanessa said as she raises her arms into the air.

"This is the longest we've talked about you panicking or wanting to hideaway." Grey, for her part, starting to look a little anxious at being pointed out.

"Don't get nervous on me now! I was just pointing out you would be a perfect friend. If you didn't just start panicking every five seconds, you and I were the only ones around the same age here. You might as well be friends. We are the oldest woman in The Black Bulls; we should look out for one another, right?"

"That sounds nice, Vanessa!" Grey was falling back into panic mode. Noticing her panic wanted to ease it for a moment.

"Grey? If you want to change forms to feel comfortable, it's fine, you know, but we are going to work on your confidence, you hear me?"

"Too exhausted from the volcano to change my form even if I wanted to." She said, her voice both higher pitched, but there was a tiredness to it.

"What do you think the assignment from Captain Yami is going to be?"

"Honestly, with him, it could be anything? Or maybe it has to do with the letter."

"There seemed to be two letters he read over, not just one. At least we don't have to clean the house. I wonder who's getting bathroom duty. I know I'm glad it's not me." Vanessa said a slight shiver of when she was still a junior knight.

"Me too; I have nightmares of cleaning the latrine after Captain Yami is having tummy troubles." Grey, with a definite tremble though she seemed to be gaining more strength back.

Vanessa noticing the time decided to take pity on them. Saving them from a tongue lashing and beating, she found one of Charmy's platter covers and a large spoon clanging them together.

" **Wake up; Captain Yami is on his way.** " Which caused three of them to jump up and ran to do the chores without much reminding. On the other, Gauche seemed to slide off the couch but got up and started on the floors in the living room, making the room sparkle. Putting a bandana and a mask on to start dusting. He was murmuring that all of this is for Marie. We both walked knowing that when Gauche had his motivation and _"goddess"_ on the brain? Nothing would stop him from finishing and go above and beyond.

"Come on, Grey, you can make us a bench while we wait for the Captain."

"Sure, thing Vanessa." Nearly unintelligible muttering from Grey.

And the worst of her nerves are back in full force, to the sigh from Vanessa.

But at least we were seated when Captain Yami and Finral came back.

"Alright, you two, I got a favor to ask of you. Finral, don't even try to slink off just yet."

"See, Jack asked me for a favor since he wants to impress his lady love, he wants to borrow you two to give him a makeover. Seeing how you gave Finral that nice haircut Vanessa.

"But why me?" Grey asked, shocked to be involved at all!

"Simple, you can shift to his form to see if he likes the hair cut ideas and clothing. This way, we don't accidentally go outside his comfort zone and way outside mine too."

"Wait, Captain Yami, are you taking a shopping trip too?"

"No more questions. Will you do it." His tone brokering no complaints would be allowed or acceptable.

"Of course," Grey said in that mumbling, hurried, anxious voice everyone was still adjusting to it.

"Happy to help, Captain Yami, but I will be comping that favor sooner or later," Vanessa caring extraordinarily little that others were around, flipped her hair a smiled at her Captain, who was distractedly looking elsewhere.

* * *

"Yeah, yeah, we're supposed to meet him in the capital's fountain square. Open the portal Finral, and then you can take half the day off. But meet us at the fountain at six in the afternoon; if you're not there, you're getting double duty tomorrow."

"Finally, you're here. I thought I would have to wait for ages, especially after you left the gold sacks. I thought you'd come right back with the girls."

"Come on now, Jack! You know I had to go and drop it all off for everyone else portions. You know, isn't it all about you I didn't leave you for last."

Captain Yami looks to his left, nobody noticing a very worn out and huffing Finral with black circles under his eyes; he desperately needed a nap. And that was clear to anyone and everyone to see.

"That's all. Finral! You can take a break to meet us back here at Sunset or double duty. "

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Captain Yami."

Looking only too happy to teleport back to the house the way his eyes looked, and even with the women passing, he didn't have the energy to start flirting with anyone today.

"Now that the annoying ride is gone?" Captain Jack turns to us; everyone admitting hearing Finral complaining was annoying.

"Let's get started; there's only so much time left in the day, and I want to make sure that I look perfect." There was a tone just under the edge of angry

"So, all this for the lady you were talking to last night?" Vanessa having her usual teasing tone.

"For the Lady Andromeda," Jack murmured very softly so that he wouldn't be overheard.

"I'd deck myself out to look like a king for her." He nearly crowed out loud.

"I need to look my best since I know for a fact. I'll be talking to Andromeda tomorrow, and there is that meeting with Mr. fancy pants, her, and **The King**. In the future." They could hear the barely contain rage, the bloodlust, and his anger.

"And knowing my luck and that of your fancy pants Captain as well, we're probably going to all be dragged into a meeting and talking to her, so I might as well look my best I felt like I look like an uglier version of the kid she used to know. "

"Don't put yourself down, Captain Jack; you're plenty handsome!" Grey rebutted her voice fast and high pitched but understandable her own nerves murmuring something coherent was shocking, to say the least.

"Well, isn't that sweet of you to say, little nervous one." Captain Jack laughed his trademark laugh while patting Grey on the head with a friendly air about him. Vanessa and Grey felt less scared; most knights were a little terrified of captain Jack and captain Yami. They both have pretty short tempers and will shred you to bits if you look at them funny. How Yami nearly crushed Asta's head during the knights' entrance exam can tell you that.

"Still want to look nice, so I'm glad you two are helping."

"I would've asked one of the girls I have on my squad, but they don't really have any fashion sense."

"So, I'm grateful captain Yami could lend you two to me for the day at least half a day."

"Hey, now don't go using them up completely; I need their help too."

With a raised eyebrow from Vanessa, he sighed and continued.

"If you haven't noticed, especially after The Star Festival? With Asta and everything else has been going on with the squad?" Vanessa nodded, remembering how that went with a frown.

"One thing has been made clear we are The Black Bulls of old to everyone else. We are going to have to have fancy clothes for when those awards ceremonies pop up."

"Keeping that in mind, and we can't always be in uniform, I thought it made sense for me also to get some new clothes. Also, the fact that Julius even said I might need to get some new clothes." He said when he took a long drag from his cigarette.

"With the way I act? And the way we are progressing were going to be asked those fancy puffed up events more and more." Looking at both of us with grey squeaking in shock.

"If I learned anything from Julius, it's leading by example. The squad is going basically needs to dress the part or get mocked. Constantly having the crowds keep turning on us again and say that The Black Bulls are cheating forever." Captain Yami then grit his teeth. The words out of his mouth filled with anger and venom. In his eyes, a fierceness as when he fought Veto of The Eye of The Midnight Sun that same annoyance and anger.

"King asshole made it clear that if we're not dressing the part, the crowd is not going to take us seriously. Unless we look like some puffed peacocks when they need us to be paraded out."

"So, I can count on you to make sure I don't look like an idiot, right?" Captain Jack added on, knowing similar remarks about his own squad had been made.

"I know even Julius was a little annoyed about how the crowd just turned on us during the star's ceremony." Captain Yami said, sounding just as annoyed.

"The crowd decided allowing years records past the cloud what's going on presently and things that have changed." Everyone, even jack, was solemn in solidarity.

"So right now, at this moment, I want to look my best when these things happen, even for one moment, look a little more professional. Can you do that, Vanessa, Grey?" Yami said, looking at both of them.

"Of course, captain, you can count on us!" Vanessa and Grey said together in unison, looking at each other; Vanessa, with a little bit of shock, and Grey had a surprised look on her face.

"I should hope so too, you two." There was slight smiling quirking out captain Yami.

The rest of the afternoon was making sure Captain Jack looked his bath while at the same time making sure that Captain Yami look just as good though he was not up for a haircut. Not that Vanessa minded that aspect, it took a lot of convincing to make sure that Jack took a really nice-looking hairstyle. And considering they do he had before right now, he was getting a lot of appreciative looks from the female Nobles milling around the capital fountain.

It was almost like a new him as well as all the clothes that we picked out. He left the store in his Green Mantis uniform. Still, the clothes we picked out were really nice, putting in some formal outfits and casual clothes, almost like he hadn't really shop for himself for a while, but it was nice to hang out with Vanessa, and it was helpful for Grey. It's great for her to step out of her comfort zone. Interacting with Jack and Captain Yami actually helped her break the mold a little bit.

She stops being so nervous though she would start panicking every time a salesgirl would show up baby steps, baby steps. And for the most part, it was a lot more easy-going than either one of them thought it was going to be. Even Captain Yami got many clothes that I don't think he would've bought his own either. And I made the day really for both of you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: If I said that you really like the story and I want it to continue? To give it your attention, your praise your comments. It's because readers like you give me the strength and the desire to keep writing. I like Captain Jack as a concept as someone similar to Yami but in a somewhat different way. Yami picks the oddballs that don't fit but have strength and potential and are obviously overlooked. Captain Jack has a squad of commoners that everyone would overlook, but he picks those no one could see that much potential. Like, look at Sekke; even with Asta pummeling him into the ground, he wouldn't have been picked by many squads at all regardless of how he performed. He didn't wow anyone with his power. He could have easily ended up the errand boy of the Blue Rose Squad. Considering most people don't even think of using Captain Jack as a somewhat main character, I have to assume. I always write whatever I want to write. Anyone who's followed my fanfics and me as a fanfic author would test that I just do whatever the fuck I want. If you like the story? Follow shows support because that lack of support creates a lag in how I write.  
> https://www.patreon.com/Lady_Fairy_Moth


	8. Back At The Hideout, Noelle's Nice day, But Poor Asta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, it's a joy to write this chapter. I'm so grateful for all the comments from all the readers who love this story, and the kudos you send me. It helps more than you know constructive criticism in the comment or just comments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: The plot is all I own; remember to show your support every way you know how. Also, thank you music, you are my life saver and save me from the throes that are writer’s block. As a shameless plug, I have a Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/Lady_Fairy_Moth every little bit helps. This the last time I will shamelessly plug for a few chapters. Those who decide to become patron get to have their names in the chapter regardless of tier.

** Asta’s Perspective **

_‘There’s nothing like swimming in the river,’_ as he did slow laps in the river. It was like ice on his skin after being in the sun all day and considering he had spent most of last night and most of this morning just sleeping in an active volcano being slightly burned by it, the cold of The icy river was such a nice feeling on his poor skin. Even if the river’s current was a little rough and, at this point, he had been slammed into the rocks at least twice. The feeling was so nice; his overheated body was cooling down though there was a sting when he moved a certain way. It’s better than feeling burnt alive, like when he would stand outside all day working out but wouldn’t ever go to the shade, his skin would burn, start flaking, peeling, chafe and hurt something fierce. It’s a miracle he could even walk the lack of shorts protected my knees just barely.

The cold water helped shed the most annoying layer of the burns on his skin, but even he could tell it’s a lot worse than he first thought. Seeing pink in the river, realizing that he must be bleeding from his back and that I might be worse off than he thought.

 _‘I may need to go to Doctor Owen, or a local doctor has to have healing salves for some of the burns that the water won’t heal_.’

Realizing that would be his best choice, especially? When his back was a lot more screwed up by the heat exposure than he thought, if the open stinging was anything to go by and the crackle of splitting skin he felt with every motion.

* * *

#  Charmy’s Perspective

Nodding and looking at Noelle, who seemed to understand and seemed to take this seriously, I decided to get out the broom and take us to the market in the capital ourselves, knowing Noelle still didn’t have a handle for control just yet. As her superior, it’s one of the things I need to do.

I may have been tired, but I was able to hold on. The rest of The Black Bulls were expecting her to make a tasty dinner and make sure the pantry was filled for the month after everything that happened. They had been a bit barren the last few months between the major mission for the whole squad we had fallen behind in keeping the hideout in top form.

It may have been a weekday, but the market was bustling, and with a bunch of people, their stalls, and the crowds of kids laughing and playing down the paved road is where we find Noelle and Charmy walking in each hand, a huge basket ready to fill The Black Bulls pantry for the next few weeks at least. Charmy fighting off her urge to just sample everything. She knew she had to make an excellent example for her junior knight that she’s watching. Even though her thoughts were slightly thinking about the revelations, she heard just this morning.

Usually, she wouldn’t even think about it. None of it really crossing her mind or not being worth a second thought. But something about her story made everything about this kingdom a little more… And it made her realize she may need to watch an eye on Noelle, who she knew was really interested in finding out the information that all the adults got this morning. If she asked, she would do her best to clarify that it wasn’t something she hears about from or anyone else, and I’m going to respect Andromeda’s wishes if she wanted the kids to know if she would’ve left them there. Honestly, it makes the things with the nobility and how they treat commoners even worse than I ever thought.

Right now, my task is to make sure our pantries are full, and my side objective to make sure that if I’m not around, there’s a capable cook amongst all of the _knights_.

 _There’s_ _nothing worse than being sick already, only to get worst because you were_ poisoned by some chicken soup someone makes for you.

Considering once just once, Noelle tried to cook something and nearly destroyed the kitchen, so I’ve taken it upon myself as the best cook in The Black Bulls to teach her, to put her under my wing, and make her the best cook right under me. If I can’t do that, then I have failed. And this just goes a long way with her magic training. After all, a cook is an artisan that has to work well under pressure and can keep a cool head even when everything around them is going wrong; they have to be able to do it; otherwise, they aren’t the best chef there is. With a dash of confidence, she might get what she needs.

 _The reality is there’s a benefit Noelle_ _as much as it’ll benefit me; there hasn’t_ _been anyone around that I want to teach to cook._ Plus, it’ll help me think of new ideas of treats I want to make for my prince of provisions. If I want to impress Yuno, I need to be creative and inventive and have an excuse to make a bunch of baked goods.

“Come on, my young pupil, and there are yummy nummy ingredients to find! We have a pantry to fill!” Charmy was always upbeat and full of energy to find food dragging along a perplexed but equally interested Noelle.

“Now I get the feeling you want to learn how to cook, am I right, young, pupil?”

“Wait, how did you know?” Noelle seemed to feel her jaw fall. I nearly wanted to chuckle but held back because I didn’t want to discourage her enthusiasm. Even if she’s royalty, it’s clear that she wants to be useful, and this one of the best ways to be for the whole squad since she doesn’t clean very often.

“Comes with the territory. When people want to learn to cook, they got this eye about them. Sometimes they ask outright to learn from someone else; sometimes, their attitude gives them away.” Charmy said with a shrug and a slight smile.

“It’s probably Why Captain Yami teamed us up, to begin with!” Charmy smiled at Noelle, leading her to the farmers market, but the crowd was thick, way more people than you usually one a Wednesday morning.

“Learning to cook is patience and trusting in others, and yourself, so watch me and learn about what and how to buy ingredients. That just as vital as following a recipe. So, you not only don’t get ripped off but make top-quality meals. As well as make sure that you get the quality you pay for. Nothing worse than something looking good on the outside, and it’s rotten on the inside. Because you weren’t taught how to figure out from a distance that their mold or rotted, you don’t want to find out when you cut into a yummy cherry tomato.

“Some of the most reputable merchant stalls have used somewhat shady tactics to unload harmful ingredients or products in general.” She said with a shrug, knowing that they were fair tactics there was no law about selling spoiled or rotten food. That it was your responsibility as the customer to know the difference.

“So, watch how I access the fruits and vegetables; alright, this is an essential skill in the best cooks, alright?”

* * *

#  Asta’s Perspective

Getting dressed was challenging since I had to bypass Gauche, who’s cleaning the living room, and I was tracking water into the room. Even then, it started feeling every inch of skin on me felt tight, irritated, and slight burning, making the need to see a doctor more important. If for no other reason than to be able to move around with more manageable and more put everything else to bed.

But if I want to get stronger, I can’t be covered in pain and heat burns. So the question is, I really do need treatment even if no one realizes how bad I got burned while I was in the volcano. Better to just suck it up and get treatment with a little bit of the pay I have. I’m

Not wanting to make anyone to worry, he quickly picked up his little pouch full of Yule and his Black Bulls’ uniform. To get out of there before anyone could notice how baked red his face was from the heat exposure. The slight tinge of red on the back of his collar. Knowing that he had to get the royal castle and one of the last functioning rooms and knowing that he would have to bypass all the people shoveling debris.

Especially the prisoners who used to reside under the royal castle who were prominently cleaning up. After everything that happened, he didn’t want to cause a scene or bring a lot of attention to himself. He was just trying to get some medical attention without worrying about anybody else. But he knew that certain prisoners were only there because of him; he was not about to end up on another news page because someone started yelling at the top of their lungs. He had enough issues just trying to walk himself out of the hub headquarters, well not wincing and moaning in pain, but he’s shrugged off pain before; it would not be news to walk himself out of here now.

Knowing I had a long walk ahead since I couldn’t use a broom, I gritted my teeth and started running, moving past the pain and the agony of my splitting skin. A slight roar to me, and I took to the forest heading west for the castle. My goal of seeing the doctor the only thing that kept me from collapsing.

Remember that Doctor Owen has his own hall and side of the castle to himself with his back entrance. He decides faster was better than limiting the worse of his pain at the moment.

“Hello, how… mighty Oshiro, what the heck happened to you! ?!?”

“I look that bad, Doctor Owen?” though he was still breathless, he didn’t think he could be that bad, but he hadn’t looked at himself before he left.

“You’re redder than a tomato in the face. I can even see how bad your back is messed up Ankhseram’s sake do I see bruising!? Get in bed now! You’re staying overnight! I’ll be giving Yami a piece of my mind later.”

He nearly started to defend Captain Yami, the words on his lips. Until his body hit the bed, and then he knew no more, the bed was too comfy for him to do anything but sleep.

* * *

** Doctor Owen’s Perspective **

Jason Owen’s had treated a lot of patients in his life. But Asta, the son of the one patient, he felt he didn’t help enough? After meeting in less than a month or two ago, he’s been in my office way too many times. Writing a quick note for yummy knowing that the night captain would like to be updated about his squad members. It was clear to everyone involved that Asta was overdoing himself. He tried too hard and always pushed himself to a limit that would always put him in very severe or dear severe medical risk read. Realizing that not only was he the little baby boy had delivered, but I also have to watch let go.

There’s also the fact then I had to investigate the medical mystery that was Asta, at least get some information for Andromeda. Considering the meeting that’s taking place tomorrow right here. Asta had no magic, and that can’t be right because he was born with it, and as I pulled out a secret cabinet with his and Yuno’s birth certificate Based on the levels of magic that they exuded when they were born? It was clear to see that something was actually wrong with pasta, and I would have to try to see if I could access what it was while also healing his poor, beaten body the best they could before tomorrow. Giving me the time to really go over and check everything I could from my end.

Taking a long-suffering sigh sending a message to his wife with a secondary owl, knowing he was going to be sleeping in his office again. Noting that Asta seemed to pass out almost immediately after being told he would be here overnight, I already assumed he hadn’t sleepy because of the haggard look on his face.

“Rest easy now, son.” He said it aloud more for himself than for anything else. Knowing that he was getting some relief with sleep.

Well, at least it makes it easier to treat him and scan him without too many questions. He may not be a screamer like most of my patients. Then again, remembering when Andromeda went into labor, she grits and bore the pain and refused to make much noise giving birth to twins. I’m going to assume pain tolerance came from her directly. To make matters worse for him? He was one to run from treatment only to get more hurt a few days later. As he started to work his magic, per se, he knew it’s the least he could do for the boy. Even if he would be working late to heal him, and knowing that would have to force a potion to make sure he sleeps for longer remembering one time in a particular time that he ran off after getting just one hour of sleep. From then, he learned to give something more substantial so he can actually heal completely. He already knew he had a long night ahead of him, and it just turned two in the afternoon.

* * *

#  Noelle’s Perspective

I didn’t know until this moment how much of a stringent chef Charmy was. Before now, I never really put much thought into her cooking and the way she took it so seriously. To be perfectly Frank, I saw her as gladder than anything else. Preferring food two really anything or taking everything very non-seriously. Not really valuing what she brought to the black bulls in the first place. I saw her in the same way I see Vanessa, very relaxed about her duties and not really taking anything more seriously than it needs to. At least until now, as Charmy took the time to detail out and really show me what I needed to know by now. Stating that it is the duty of everyone, regardless of station life in class, to understand how to cook something on their own. That anything can happen, especially when your part of the magic Knights squad; he could be left stranded, abandoned, or in a place you’ve never been before; you need to be able to take care of yourself. That there may be a time where she needs to forage for her own food. And how she was, she supposed to tell the difference between what’s edible and what’s not? As she watches, her self-proclaimed mentor has a critical eye while late explaining her methods of determining the best quality ingredients and food. But the way she was carrying herself, the way she was accessing things. Honestly, really trying to describe it was watching a master chef at work, and I have absorbed it all because honestly, she was good at this, and if I want any shot at being better, I need to learn from others, and Charmy was taking time out to explain things, and I understood.

Especially when she told me what she was preparing for dinner today, she decided to cook something from when she was younger, Kicking Chicken with Season Mashed, Stir Fry Veggies, and for dessert, Three-Tier Death by Fudge. And we only just finished getting everything and finding ourselves back at the hideout.

“Come along, young pupil, we need to get started on dinner. It would help if you learned kitchen basics. Now follow me; it’s time for you to understand how and clean your ingredients correctly.”

After Charmy had her sheep cooks putting things into the pantry.

“We will do this with no magic, my young pupil.” “You need to know how to this without shortcuts and have the tools I teach you to be instinctive.” Now, as she started pulling out the vegetable. From where they have been stored in the cupboards.

“First, follow my instructions and then copy my actions, all right? If you have any questions, please ask? That’s how we learn, all right?”

From then on, Charmy took the time to show me how to prep the vegetables explaining that washing them correctly that if it’s done wrong, will ruin the whole meal. Primarily as she taught me that you have to peel potatoes unless you are baking them. Teaching me how to cut the vegetables evenly.

Also, Charmy was taking the time and the reason. She was meticulous and was very patient with me. You need to follow a recipe to the letter, and I’m finally learning from her. I feel for the first time even though there have been moments before like I’m being accepted truly and apart of the group, I know that I can talk to them, but I was worried in the back of my head that they were judging me that I wasn’t to the prestige of the other royals like my family. But watching how Charmy took the time to teach me the ins and outs of cooking something correctly and when to time how much fire the food while it’s cooking. Or how much is too much or too little seasoning something needs? _I know. I just feel like I finally found something I didn’t realize I needed until now._

Especially as she praised me and told me when I was doing something right and explained exactly when I was doing something wrong.

It was nice. Mostly when we all sat down, the sheep chef served around the table, slightly disappointed when I notice Asta wasn’t there until captain Yami mentioned that he was getting apparently healed. The burns that he sustained on the volcano were worse than they seemed. He needed the night to recuperate.

 _But I was happy when everybody took part in the food and loved what Charmy and I made._ Making me feel better that I had been able to do something right for once. That may be following and listening to Charmy is my best bet, especially as she seemed to listen when after a question and didn’t just start berating me. Maybe I can really become a better person as Secre asked me to be if I wanted to get asked his attention; that would be the best way to do it.

* * *

#  Yuno’s Perspective

He sat in the room that had been assigned to him. It had been a long night after keeping his mana skin all night. He should be worn out since he basically didn’t sleep all night, but his mind was whirling with everything he has gone through. He couldn’t sleep no matter what he did. He laid in his bed, ignoring the opulent surrounding and really thinking about all the revelations he heard about this morning and everything that had happened with the elves.

You know, I honestly don’t know how to feel about the revelation that the King is a lecherous pedophile and completely corrupt. Well, the corruption we knew and made peace with it in a way. You don’t consider an area forsaken realm and give it no money and assume that the monarchy gives a damn about Their citizenry. It has to be corrupt.

It’s not liked the commoners and nobles could overthrow the King and put a better monarch in his place. There just wasn’t enough manpower. Everyone below royalty doesn’t have the magic power to overthrow our King. So even considering a revolution would only end in your death.

And keeping in mind that he was willing to kill two kids who made snide comments about his rule? The King has made clear with his behavior and action that he is corrupt, and that was pretty clear to anyone who lived in the forsaken realm of the kingdom, and the disparity and difference of the way they are treated say everything about how much corruption was in the kingdom, and the King is just the one who thinks he’s untouchable. Maybe he was in the way.

Thinking about everything the wizard king had to do to allow commoners to join the magic knights’ squad and most magic knight squads aren’t all called to where they are needed most. Only where they want to be seen helping some go and support everyone can, but some like The Purple Orcas initially and The Golden Dawn only helped the nobles and the royal family not care for anything else. I can’t help but want to something. The golden dawn wasn’t what I thought it was. I thought I was joining a squad that was the best of the best, but honestly, it was a squad of entitled assholes with two exceptions among its ranks, and that’s my issue. Should I stay, or could I ask for a transfer to a different squad?

Would there be an uproar? Maybe but it’s been on my mind ever since the big battle. At first, it was great to prove everyone wrong, and the pay is excellent but is it worth wondering when the next idiot will put a knife in my back, or the next time, I need to report sketchy actions of my squamate’s but can’t? How can I be on a squad where I only trust two of the other members? After hearing what that woman said and everything that was going on, I felt the conflict in my mind. The fact she fainted at the sight of me made my mind raced at the possibility, but I felt I need to wait and see if my guesses are off base. The timing of when Miss Andromeda got pregnant and left nearly sixteen years ago; her hair and eyes. She couldn’t be. We couldn’t be.

Soft knocking in the door, I lifted my head in the direction the sun was setting, and the room was starting to get darker, and my thoughts weren’t getting more comfortable to get a handle on.

“Yuno? We have been summoned to a meeting with the wizard king tomorrow afternoon.”

“Alright, I will be up early to go to this meeting.”

“We will be having dinner soon. I hope you join us, alright?”

“We’ll see. Thank you, Lunette, and thank you for letting me know.”

I just didn’t want to face anyone when the reality is, I don’t know if I wanted to stay on this squad any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: It was all over the place when it came to perspective, but I hope you enjoy I wanted all perspectives seen. Considering this only takes place just after the mirror call needed in chapter five. Plus, I wanted to give Noelle something she’s never gotten before. She has never decided to bond with anyone. Think about it she rebuffs Mimosa. I get that the girl is kind of dim. But at the same time, she doesn’t have any great female companionship or role models, so I decided to add that in to give her what she didn’t get at home. Based on the flashback Nebra was a bitch to Noelle growing up when she needed a big sister to be kind to her the most? So, I really like this as a concept Noelle get positive reinforcement. Charmy is still her quirky self, but she’s a lot more too. In many ways, they all have all the recent acknowledgment, and the constant crisis has changed them. Like the talk Magna and Finral gave Luck and Asta in chapter four. It shows that they have changed from the uncouth oddball squad into a well-worked unit. New characters are in the mix, but the same goes for them soon enough. As well the contemplation of Yuno, he was feeling adrift in the squad he’s in. He wants to leave because the squad doesn’t feel right. I work faster when support shows, like giving it a kudos if you like it or if there are more subscribers since that way, I know how many people care about this story being updated.


	9. A Chat Between Royalty, Planning Some Diplomacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andromeda is a lot of things, but even thinking of going back to the Clover Kingdom is...  
> Worth it for  
> Jack  
> For my sons!  
> My love for them overcomes the pain of going back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors note: here’s the funny thing I’m not a manga reader. But I know enough to know by now that Hisui would have gotten the reins of the Kingdom. Toma was getting old. He’s probably enjoying retirement, still being the host of the magic games every year until he passes the torch to someone who he deems worthy. I own nothing but my plot.

Arthur's perspective

The morning was no different and no worse than any other since he had officially reigned as the true king of Britannia. He had been hearing a petition for new businesses and expansion of cities and proposals of all types all morning. Honestly, for the most part, I actually listened to the enthusiasm to see Britannia matching the rest of the world. As the last person came in. Two of his guards came in, bowing deeply, flanking one of his attendants deeply curtsy, and smiled.

"Your highness? Your foreign ambassador, the grand duchess Ms. Bixby, is here to see you."

"Send her in." Arthur sounded as royal as those born into it, a small boom in his voice with majestic air to it.

"As you wish, sire." She lowly bowed, walking toward to door opening it; the guards parted without questioning, most anticipating chaotic energy only to be soundly disappointed.

Andromeda came in for once; she wasn't her overexcited self. For her, she was acting demure and somewhat muted. This is a woman who outdrank Melodias and punches a wyvern out of the coast because it nearly landed on her raven's birdhouses. She wasn't a demurred woman; she was usually a ball of infectious energy. Chaotic but never in a malicious or spiteful way.

She was such a bubbly person? She made Merlin share in that glee and enthusiasm when they are researching and inventing, and considering how distant Merlin can be, it says a lot about how infectious she was.

Andromeda, was for once, dressed in a way befitting her station but to an extreme. In a way she hadn't done since I first gave her the title of grand duchess, it looked like something out of Merlin's closet with a corset and layered skirt to boot.

Her hair was up in an intricate hairdo. She looked like a vision, and that was the problem. Half the time, she was an impeccable dresser and highly fashionable. But it was never deadly or uncomfortable clothing. And she wore her hair down; that's how she liked her hair best. Only tying it up if she was inventing or months deep in research.

Still, these overly proper clothing and uncomfortable fashion was unlike her and had me on edge. She railed against death-defying fashion or wearing clothing that could harm you or injure you temporarily or permanently. So, seeing her in a corset so tight she struggles to breathe nearly had me losing my own composure.

I looked right at her; I could see the slight shaking of her knees. Whatever she had to ask me was big or something that made her extremely nervous. What she could she possibly ask that could make her go through all the trouble. That and she never asks my attendant for permission to come in; she lets herself in or somehow finds herself draped over my throne for a laugh. The guards knowing, she does that and helps her.

She came to stand two feet away as custom doing one of the deepest curtsies, I have ever seen out of her.

"Good day to you, sire." She sounded as prim and proper as the other nobility that has stopped in. To hear her like this was made the sinking stone in his stomach more pronounced by the moment.

"Good morning to you, Lady Bixby. May I ask what brings you here today quite so early? Usually, when you want to see me, it's rather late in the day."

"I had a request, a favor to ask." Andromeda couldn't look me in the eyes instead of looking at her very polished shoes.

"Oh, I see." The hairs on the back of my neck were raised. I had a feeling, but I didn't want to be wrong.

"The mail delivery services that I created can reach the shores of The Clover Kingdom." She said her tone was neither happy nor sad but stating a fact. When I know how excited she was, how she anticipated and hoped she had with the project.

"That is excellent news! I know that you and I discussed creating a business there but that you wouldn't handle it directly that you would send your business partner instead?"

"I know I've explained the circumstance of how I ended up finding myself on your shores. I rather not go into the details in front of the court."

Her shifting eyes at those milling about meant she had something private to discuss.

"Attendant, servants, maids, and guards leave us."

"But sire!" So many of them protested and complained. After everything that happened with Arthur and many of the lower kings' security vest that rules over in Britannia's threats to Arthur Pendragon had always been high and a big priority amongst his closest guards.

"It's an order, and the Lady Bixby is my highest confidant and my advisor; I trust her without a shadow of a doubt."

Quickly those that had been milling about took off to other parts of the castle; the only one who stayed was always by my side, Merlin herself.

"Thank you, your highness," a relieved smile on her face. Looking at the shadow of someone I didn't even know, and this is not Andromeda Bixby. The Andromeda I know would've said _hell yeah_ told me that I need to do something different with my hair. She wouldn't be held back, and she would not be called me by honorifics.. making a face at my guards to reassure them, which would've caused them to chuckle and been ok with leaving.

"Andromeda, calm down, please lose the formality; just tell me what you need to say to me."

"I saw my sons Arthur; they are alive! I need to go back. I was contacted early this morning by Jack; I gave him one of my mirrors that I made really sturdy. To see if the range of transmission and teleportation could reach so far" her voice was wistful and smiling for the first time since she came in. She was acting like herself.

We had all been hoping for something like this. If their some large-scale event or something that involves the planet better, we can communicate instantly, rather than sending letters back forth explaining our scenario. The conglomeration needs to have a united front necessity established in the vast treaties that we signed to ensure unity and peace.

"My hopes had been raised since I had been able to communicate with The Queen of Heart Kingdom when I visited and gave her my complimentary mirror in her home last week as a test. During the call to Jack. I saw them, my sons with my own eyes," Andromeda was tearful but so happy.

"That's the need for secrecy; at least it makes sense," Merlin said. She knew anyone as well what happened to her.

"I know how much they mean to you," Merlin said. It was one of the things that Merlin had discussed with Andromeda on a personal level. Andromeda's agony and remorse over leaving her children would crop up often happen a lot when they were researching and inventing. Something that was explained to me six years ago. When I went to her home to ask her about the scope of her next trip, only to be barred by merlin from disturbing her in her home, only for her to tell the sorrowful tale while looking heartbroken and unable to care for herself.

Her children always being at the top of my mind. Merlin has confided in me just that. Andromeda, for all the strength of will and magic she has, that is where she always fails to control herself and be able to hold herself together. How she wished she could have taken them with her. The regrets of her actions though those were the only ones she had are immense.

The tragedy she went through made her heart quiver and break. That was probably one of her biggest regrets not saving her children alongside herself, not raising them as she would have chosen to. She was a tough teen and somehow an even stronger woman, her loyalty.

"Are you looking to move back permanently?" Arthur looked slightly disappointed, as did Merlin. Andromeda was as integral to the innovation of their Kingdom as anyone.

"No, but I am considering a semi-permanently move to the clover kingdom Arthur?" Her eyes were watery.

"I left the man I love and my only children behind in that god's forsaken place. Even if they refuse to come here with me. I want to be in some part of their life. Even if the man I love so desperately realizes I don't deserve his love? I wish to see his face one last time with my own eyes. I want to beg forgiveness of my children and have some form of a relationship with them and let them know if they are there, I need to go myself! I am the ambassador for Britannia, as well as the vocal partner of my business. I have to go, but I know the clover kingdom might try to kill me."

"Andromeda, you forget one thing you're not just my citizen! I love you, dearly, like you are my sister. You, along with Merlin, have made this Kingdom innovative and forward-moving. There is nary a complaint or a starving citizen in the country. Honestly, one of the reasons is because you and bring us forward. But you have to remember you are as much a citizen of Britannia as you are in Fiore."

"Have you discussed this with your business partner? I know miss Heartfilia has gone with you when you take your company to expand?"

"I can easily write you the documentation of protection and that you are there on a diplomatic mission and act as my personal messenger of open communication and peace between our nations. But you are just as important to the people of Fiore as you are to us."

She looked on the spot. She understood that Arthur saw her as necessary and cared for but not to this great extent. She had thought of these things, but her mind had been rapid thought all morning, her sons just occupying everything else. And it made sense her drive to succeed, the industry to push for the power to innovate, all of it was with one singular goal in mind and most of us Merlin, the remnants of the seven sins, the family she made in Fiore if you knew her secret knew that the end goal was always the same. It was to see her sons again eventually. The man she loved; she had already chosen never to love another. Even if he rejected her affection, to the despair of men of the court and abroad, but her sons, that's all that truly mattered to her. Them being alive and seeing them one last time.

"Let me call the queen of Fiore to let her know and see if we can both approve of this and send a written proclamation of acting as our ambassador. As well as making sure each of sends you with a guard to protect you."

"Arthur!"

"You are normally fine on these missions; I know I know."

"But you normally don't go to countries where they tried to murder you on trumped-up charges and for crimes committed by the king to you. You need protection regardless of your cc power, which is immense!"

"You are like family, and we protect our family in Britannia. I know the queen of Fiore feels the same way! And would like to be informed that you are making such a dangerous choice talking to her first. You saved her from kidnapping and stopped several national disasters on your own! You are a hero to the people of Fiore. So, let us be overly cautious and try to keep you safe for once?"

"I already plan on being a part of her guard," Merlin said, leaving no room for argument. Though she usually came on these missions regardless, she loved to see more of the world and loved to see and experience the differences in how magic is harnessed in other countries.

"Well, hello, there Arthur Pendragon. It's been a while."

"That it has, it's been too long, Hisui Fiore."

"I'm going to assume this is a business call?"

"Of sorts, Andromeda wants to expand the Heartfilia corporation to the clover kingdom as well acting as our envoys." I knew I sounded grave and worried.

I could hear the sharp gasp from Hisui,

"I'll call Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel myself to accompany her. Making sure that they get paid well for their time. Though I know that they would do it for free, I know they finally got engaged recently. It's a nice present to them as well."

That brought a smile to Andromeda's face though she looked at the floor and seemed to be trying to disappear into a shadow somehow. Considering that she had to watch them dance around each other when she first came to Fiore and when she brought them here? So that those two could see the dragon valley in western Britannia. There is no village for miles and miles or anyone willing to take them there, and most won't travel there on foot. I noticed they had chemistry, but they weren't acknowledging it at all. Like watching Diane and Harlequin during the war before they got together, at least that's what Merlin would say. But somehow worse because you could tell how oblivious Natsu could be and how much Lucy was attracted to him. I've only met him a few times, at that point, and I could tell that was the case.

"She shouldn't go back to that **place** by herself. I'll send the proper paperwork for her protection and her protectors. She's nobility for us, and she's a war heroine. They can try to hurt her, Arthur, but they aren't getting the chance." Hisui, for her part, looked just as determined as I was to make sure that our worse fears don't come to pass. She turned from me, looking behind me right at Andromeda, who seemed so unlike herself.

"Now, how are you, Andromeda? I haven't talked to you since you did your final test of the mirrors here on Fiore; how are you? I know you didn't leave the shores; on the best of notes, you were crying your eyes out.

Most didn't talk about it; most didn't even bring it up. But one of the things that raised Andromeda's status, at least within Fiore and even within our own society? It was the fact that she fought a war for Fiore without being a documented citizen. She had been passing through the continent of Ishgar. She had contacted Fiore first about setting up her business and started making commercial prototypes of her products, which prompted a chain reaction on the continent. Since the peace and treaty agreements were tenuous, Andromeda only found out about when war broke out.

It took a lot of fighting for a peace agreement to settle in. Her business spread on to the continent, but only recently. And it was a hard-fought fight. With it, she fell on the front lines. She doesn't like to talk about it, but I know that that was one of the reasons she was even angrier about the time that she spent; she knew she would have to fight that fight, but it doesn't mean that she doesn't regret the time that she spent on it. That's five years of her life she's not going to get back. Well, she is a diplomat first able to create peace wherever she goes.

She can't produce peace talks when everyone is just arguing over her business over the expansions demanding trying to monopolize her. There was nothing she could really do. The war wasn't indeed a fight over her, but what her innovations could create. Trying to pervert and perverse her inventions to the detriment of everyone. It was a rather dark day for everyone involved; the agreement was only settled when everyone was put on an even playing field. Now the settlements or tenuous as well as the fact that some of the biggest instigators Alverez? Have directly been placed under different leadership. Since the death of Zeref, it felt like a new wind a change through the whole country. With Zeref in charge, negotiations were tenuous and sometimes impossible, much less to reach a peace agreement with the rest of the other continents.

Brandish is flourishing as empress of the Alverez kingdom, doing great and the conglomeration of nations' recent creation. Right in the heart of balsam village. It was a long discussion between all the countries involved, but considering the conflict started in crocus? Felt inappropriate to put it there. The balsam village's neutrality made it an ideal spot for both the benefit and deterrent of the town itself as it became the second capital of Fiore. With its own landing strip recently being from all over earth land coming to discuss matters settle disputes and sign treaties and create trades. With sessions held at least twice a week for minor differences and giant sessions held with those countries' active rulers. With the delegates usually taking over for those minor inconveniences.

Andromeda knows she can't represent both countries permanently and has been training successors for both posts occupies. That she at least told me that she has been teaching Guilia's little brother zeal in diplomacy and understand court. Thankfully, she at least told me so when she was traveling that Zeal is still getting the education.

But listening to her nerves, her fears on display for the world to see hearing her plans, she barely regained herself as she talked about the men who got her a passage to safety. Most knew of the men, but hearing her speak about Owen's shock, Julius's behavior, and her sons' being alive. That she planned to pick up Lucy and Natsu in crocus, refusing to have happily come along. His coming on an extended mission and how jumpy and somewhat tyrannical the clover kingdom is. They won't hesitate. She turned to her left Merlin, standing her whole focus on the conversation.

"Merlin, if you had to? You think you could teleport me back here?" She asked her voice was so soft and tinier than I have ever heard since we met.

"Easily." She had a solemn tone and look about her.

Still, I don't know why you don't wear a disguise when you meet the king?

I could, I honestly could, but I have no doubt that I would melt the disguise if I get angry. My magic is already pretty strong. Never forget Andromeda and Melodias sparring if it wasn't for the perfect cube; thank Ankhseram for it. Or they might have devasted Liones. That's what she didn't say. Watching her spar with him had been an even for the amusement of everyone, and it was like watching him and ban fight during the holy war. I got so inspired; I wanted to spar her myself. She was strong, powerful. She was constantly being pushed past her limit and seeing and learning. Being merlin's mage disciple helps too.

"Knowing you got my back is lowering the panic in my heart. I refused to be beheaded via a surprise attack. I would think my best friend might make sure of that." She said with a little more strength in her voice.

"Lucy, isn't your best friend?" Merlin said with an eyebrow raise. Marilyn wasn't really one for beating around the Bush. Between everything I've seen, she sees both of them as her best friend, but I wouldn't want to try to dissuade merlin of anything once she had her mind on something; she tends to be a bit stubborn about letting it go.

"You can have more than one best friend! You'd think in your old age you'd know that better than anyone." Andromeda sounds like her cheeky self to the smirks of Arthur and Hisui watching the two interact.

"Hush you," she said with a chuckle, not mad at the remark.

"Don't act like you don't like Lucy. She's the reason you were able to confirm one of your theories of magic potential and application."

"That and Natsu was a willing test subject for the exorcism potion I came up with," Merlin said with this air that anyone would assume she said it was an afterthought, but to those who knew her knew it was somewhere in the realm of admiration and gratitude of being trusted with her experiments.

"I still say we should have warned the guild before doing it. The whirlwind alone caused a lot of worries." Andromeda said with a shake of her head.

"It was an interesting and successful endeavor; that's all that matters, and Mira harvested that demon, so it was a win for everyone involved." Said with a shrug and a smile. Most knew that she studied MiraJane quietly; she was a unique and robust mage with the most remarkable magic.

"It's because of that experiment we were able to exorcise the demon curse on the queen of the heart kingdom. imagine if we had to wait until we found the demon who cast it on her!"

"And considering we had only gotten rid of one demonic curse beforehand on top of the outright exorcism."

"I still say we should have left the curse on Ichiya. The man deserved to stay hideous, ugly, and weak, and he's the one who cheated on that strong mage he should be stuck in his torment."

"Don't be like that, Andromeda! He's one of your business partners after all and us lifting that curse made him an overall better mage," Merlin said, snickering. I heard of Andromeda can stand the flirtatious, handsy man.

"Still, we have enough motion sickness medicine for Natsu, right; this won't be Gajeel and the trip to Hino last month, right? Because it took forever to get the vomit out of the seats."

"I promise I planned ahead this time. Don't worry; we can't afford to have Natsu out of commission. I'm still worried that the clover kingdom might try to poison you if it's not a direct assault. And he has a great nose."

"Now, if I can focus your attention," Hisui commanded the attention of the room.

"If they so much attempt to hurt you, I will show no hesitancy. I have a fleet of soldiers, more than enough to do The Clover Kingdom occupancy until the ass is deposed. It's the least I can do for you, Andy." Hisui looked at Andromeda, knowing without question she would protect her thoughts to be fair if she didn't live between the two continents; she knows the magic council would have named her wizard saint.

After what happened with god Serena, according to both Hisui and Andromeda's own statements on the matter.? The council didn't want to give someone the title to someone who didn't live on the soil regularly and consistently, or anyone whose loyalty could waver. It's stupid but understandable from their position. It was something he had more than once brought up to Hisui on their weekly chats. Still, he found out the guilds in general while subjects are like their military but a separate branch of government that governs and polices itself while she oversees Fiore as a whole. To dictate to the wizard's council that she should be include would cause an argument.

"That goes the same for me, Andromeda, if they are, that unwilling to hear the truth and want to kill you that desperately. Well, karma's a bitch." I said it, and I know that my anger my blood were boiling under the surface.

Hisui seemed to agree with me. She had this look like she was imagining spit roasting August Kira for every crime he committed and what he might do to her.

"Still, let Lucy know she needs a dress like the kind I have now; they are still as formal as when I left; they wouldn't appreciate skirts and knee socks. I personally can't wait to break out my clothes, but I know how the royal court is. I worked with them for a long while; they are Jackasses in The Clover Kingdom. I swear you two are spoiling me by being benevolent in your rule."

"Stop. A real ruler makes sure their subjects are all safe and happy and can seek justice."

"Creates a country that benefits the whole and not the few," I said with a strength that has ended arguments.

"Benevolence is a requirement of being a ruler; without that, you deserve what you get. Hisui said with a voice that would ice in the veins of those who would be that cruel.

"Whether it's the populace turning on you?" I said to agree with Hisui. Knowing that we agreed with this mindset about this.

"If the castle staff poisoning you for being a tyrant," I said with an eyebrow raise.

"Or being beheaded for your corruption," Hisui said solemnly.

"If you fail the people you rule, you don't deserve the power bestowed on you," I said with a mod, and Hisui nodded her agreement.

He essentially treated you like property, and you were a child, and no child should be treated in such a way. I could barely contain my anger. What he did to her was unspeakable cruel, disgusting, and perverse, what he did to all his attendance with a gross violation. Keeping that in mind, I knew I had to tread carefully as Andromeda's mood is skittish. It's almost liked her mind reverted back until she was introduced to court the first time. Reminding her that she is in a safe place that she's with people who care about her was our main objective right now.

"Alright, let's see about getting you all the things you need for your trip. Regardless of getting you an airship, we should come bearing gifts, should we not? This is supposed to be a peace mission after all, and a reunion for you are seeing the love of your life, aren't you?" I said, knowing we needed to change the subject to something.

"That's right?! You need to bring gifts on our behalf to show that we're peaceful. We should get you to bring a few casks of Ever Chilled Wine that went over great with Bosco's nation when we were doing our reinstated treaties, and the stuff is delicious if I do say so myself." Hisui said with a lot more chipper than the other topic.

"Though do take care not to make it seem like our countries are just a bunch of lushes," Merlin said with a slight smirk.

"Don't worry, I'm planning on some pretty paintings as well! We do know some great artists who would be willing to lend a hand to make everyone look good.

Still, Andromeda, you might also provide something that will dissuade the king of the clover kingdom from becoming hostile. How about that tonic we created to cure baldness?

It's as good a peace offering as any; what man doesn't want to avoid being bald by the time he's 40?

"Hey, now Ban is over forty, and he's not bald!" I exclaim, remembering that, between everyone he knows, he was the one most likely to lose his hair young.

"Ban is also somewhat immortal and stuck at the age of twenty-three," she said with an eyebrow raise. Let's not put our comparison of ages comparing to Ban.

"It would be a boon to any country to have something like that hopefully, that'll be enough for him not to want to chop my head off. But it's doubtful."

She sighed out loud. She seemed to be carrying the world on her should, no matter what we said and how we distracted her. The thoughts were just filling in her mind. Rolling her shoulders, she spoke again.

 _"_ If it has to come down to it, I will take it upon myself to leave but please, both of you, try to make this as quiet as possible. I have no doubt that the Palace guards and some of the Royal Knight squad might assume that you have the intent of outright conquering the country, and that's not really the case here. It's basically a diplomatic mission that's inevitably going to go wrong no matter what you do. It's not like I can just not go in and face him directly; I could just send Merlin, but the fact remains I'm going to be in the Kingdom regardless; I can't just act like I'm a fugitive the whole time. I have to take this head-on. I'm speaking on behalf of my company; I can't just shy away and pretend like I have no business there." What was unsaid lingered in the air, but they could hear it in their heart regardless of the outcome. She is there to see her sons above even seeing the love of her life.

"To be fair, there is a lot to do; thank you both of you. I need to go and get ready. I have a conversation with Doctor Owens and Julius to let them know I got to go ahead for next week if you would excuse me." Andromeda, once again showing that she was still a bit nervous, curtsied to both of us, nodding her head and walking out Merlin looking like she wanted to go after her but knowing it was better to stay at Arthur's side right now. Leaving me alone to talk to Hisui directly.

You know... She started. I had a feeling I knew what she was going to say.

If we have to take it upon ourselves and name a temporary replacement to sit in as the monarch of the Clover Kingdom

It's probably going to be Andromeda herself. Technically she is the obvious choice, the only person we know from that Kingdom as well as the fact that her sons invertedly even though they don't know it are the next in line for the throne, as well as the fact that she has spent so much time as nobility herself. Diplomatically acting almost like a Queen in her own stead, she would be the only choice.

But you know she's not going to go for it. She doesn't want to be a Queen. Nobility is already something she doesn't really care for. She's probably going to hate you for putting her in that position as a temporary Queen, and there's a possibility there's an outright rebellion when they hear that stated little fact there.

Considering it's only a temporary arrangement, well, it could be at least there's the fact that she would have the support of several kingdoms on hand. She can put actual changes into the Kingdom that should have been implemented centuries ago based on what she's told of us. Who knows what she'll be able to accomplish considering what she's walking into? That's a real possibility, and even if she says that it's not necessary, it's probably better if we try to send in backup for her to do to protect her, much less make it safe for her when she wants to come back?

"Still, Andromeda was a sweetheart. By becoming queen, she could do good for her people. I know there are three royal families would have more right to the throne, but she made it clear that they are fine the way things are. She mentioned that she was thirteen working as a maid and none of them argued it was wrong, argued that she shouldn't be working. It tells you exactly how little you see the people and care about their pain and struggles."

"I was a commoner once, too. It's wrong to be so uncaring about the plight of others when you can't help but refuse to do anything." He said, knowing that my own feelings on the matter were reflected in Hisui, who had gone above and beyond for the new regions of Fiore.

"I hope when the position is offered to her, she takes it and holds on to it. It doesn't have to be forever, just until one of her sons decides to take the position himself." Hisui added, and I nodded it was their birthright.

"I just hope for her sake that when she is reunited with her sons? That they embrace her and don't blame her. That they are not angry with her for what she had to do. What she has left no choice in doing in the first place. If your choice is to ensure everyone survives or no one survives, what option are you left with?" Merlin piped up, knowing how much it would break her if her sons hated her.

"Doesn't stop her from being feeling guilty, and I'd feel guilty in her stead too. All we can really do is be there for her and support her and make sure she's safe, right Arthur, Merlin." Hisui said with so much conviction and heart that I felt glad that we knew each other. she nodded to us both in kind, and I nodded, knowing that I would be there for her.

"That we do. Just be sure to be stealthy on your end; I know I'll be stealthy in mine. When you send in your rearguard, please do so quietly behind Lucy and Natsu if you can. If anyone else, much less realizes that someone's coming, you know they'll shoot first and ask questions later. We all need to be stealthy. We're giving them a chance but Just one. And no matter what, if she needs to retreat, we do our best to make sure that she can take her kids with her instead of leaving them Behind a second time." I said, knowing that merlin and I would have to plan which soldiers would stealthily be waiting for their signal.

"I doubt she could; her heart would probably break if she did," Merlin said, perhaps the truest statement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final note: if you haven’t guessed yet? The conglomeration of nations is basically the un. And not putting it in crocus was my idea. It felt like crocus was already really cramped for stuff in it. So, I decided it would be a better idea to put it in the village that does already have like services stuff like that, but it doesn’t have any other use outside of being used in the plot, maybe once in FairyTail. Plus, I like the idea of more communication and people being advanced, everyone being advance based on her actions, and there was a reason why she didn’t just show up to the clover kingdom immediately after she knew that the crows could work. She got stuck fighting in the war she put herself in by accident. If you think about it, the war on Álvarez, which is ended really quickly in the anime and FairyTail, would realistically take over a long time, and I like to think that they just caused the chain reaction. By starting beef with Ishgar? You make every other country neighboring Fiore want to begin building arms, which makes Fiore start building weapons, then you got Bosco, which apparently still has slaves; it’s a whole mess. It always felt like the entire country was on the verge of war anyway. And Alverez would’ve kick-started a war by accident. If you like the story, show support to the next one.
> 
> Oh yeah, I’m taking a tiny hiatus this, and all the other stories gets updated in June. I hit a snag, and now I’m focused. And I’m updating this story here on ao3 before I get the FFN police trying to take it down there. They’ll demand I put it in the crossover section, but it's in technically in three fandoms.


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